The Cleanest Uniform in Australia
Fairtrade Australia
Issue 47 | June 2018
Agency
Y&R Melbourne
Creative Team
Creative ECD Jake Barrow Copywriter Carissa Finneren Art Director Janice Ko
Production Team
Production Producer Emma King Photography Thom Rigney Content Production Company NewMac
Other Credits
Senior Strategist Christine O'Keefe Group Account Director Brad Smith Account Director Lil Shelmerdine Senior Account Manager Louise Brugman
Date
October 2017
Background
Cotton is the most important crop in the global textile industry, yet most households that grow it are living in poverty. These farming families simply cannot afford to send their kids to school. Children often must work alongside
their parents just to make ends meet. In Australia, most people don’t realise that school uniforms are made using child labour. In fact, the uniforms that Australian students wear can mean that other students can’t go to school at all. Fairtrade, the world’s leading ethical and sustainable organization, needed to educate Australians about these unethical practices.
Idea
When it comes to school uniforms, what makes a uniform clean isn’t laundry detergent, stain removal treatments or a steam press. It’s the fact that it's ethically made with Fairtrade cotton. Principals and school influencers across the country were sent “filthy” custom-made school uniforms, demonstrating the campaign message - no matter how dirty your school uniform gets, if it's made with Fairtrade cotton, it will always be clean from child labour and unethical practices. 50 DM packs were sent out to primary schools and high schools, each with information leading to the campaign website.
On the site, users were shown how they could make the switch to Fairtrade cotton. Teachers and students were also invited to get involved. By grabbing the attention of the very people with the power to lead change, schools across Australia were challenged to make theirs “The Cleanest Uniform in Australia”.
Results
Targeted: 50 of Australia’s largest schools.
Reached: 6,500+ parents, students and principals.
Educated: 9,000+ site visitors over the campaign period.
Changed: 27 schools.
Our Thoughts
If I was shocked by the message of this mailing, that the cotton fields of Australia in 2018 could be as dismal as those of the old American deep south, you can bet the Head Teachers who received it were equally appalled.
Over 50% changed their uniforms to Fairtrade. In explaining the change, they would also have spread the word to both parents, their own teaching staff and, through osmosis, to a much wider group of concerned citizens beyond.