Guide Dogs Australia

Information / Credits

How do you show support for someone who can't see? Clemenger BBDO Melbourne has answered this question by turning traditional charity marketing on its head and creating a fragrance. When it came to developing an innovative way to generate support for the blind and vision impaired, the creative team considered it vital that the solution didnt inadvertently exclude them. Anything that appealed to peoples sight, such as a ribbon or wristband, would only add to the problem. Instead they decided to create something that appealed to another sense entirely smell. Most people dont realise that one of the greatest struggles the blind and vision-impaired face as a result of their condition is incredible isolation, said Clemenger BBDO Melbourne ECD Ant Keogh. Our client, Guide Dogs Australia, devote themselves tirelessly to ending this isolation. They provide a whole raft of services to the blind that go far beyond the public image of dogs. Thus the agency, created a unique fragrance called Support Scent, with the assistance of Kit Cosmetics (sister brand to Mecca Cosmetica), one of Australias leading cosmetics brands. Even the packaging of the scent itself is inclusive of blind people with the scent name also printed in Braille. The agency also created Braille letters, infused with the fragrance, to send out to the blind to ensure they could recognise the scent and who was supporting them. As an actual beauty product, the scent has also broken through the traditional barriers of charity distribution, being sold nationwide at department and cosmetics stores, including Myer and Kit stores as well as online - with all proceeds going to Guide Dogs Australia. Support Scent will be promoted via a national media campaign including television, cinema, press, radio and outdoor. An online community is already growing fast at supportscent.com, the home of the fragrance. At the website people cannot only buy the scent, but join and learn more about the project with mini-documentaries about the cause. In fact Kit recognised the idea had so much potential - as not just a charity project but as a beauty product in its own right - that theyve now created an entire Support Scent range - including scented body lotion, body wash and a candle.

Advertising Agency: Clemenger, BBDO, Melbourne, Australia Executive CD: Ant Keogh Interactive CD: Damian Royce Creatives: Tom Martin & Julian Schreiber Agency Producer/Project Manager: Sevda Cemo Interactive Producer: Sam Hodgson Strategy Planner: Mike Hyde Project Manager: Jo Currie Account Manager: Nici Henningsen Group Account Director: Ricci Meldrum