The Australian Wound Management Association

The Australian Wound Management Association is the peak body for wound management in Australia. It strives to raise awareness, develop knowledge and encourage best practice in the application of effective wound management. The Association registered Wound Awareness Week for the first time in March 2007, and needed a campaign that would address the awareness issue among primary stakeholders. The Week also needed to be used as a vehicle to work with the healthcare profession to develop treatment policy and agitate for change at a governmental policy making level.

Those suffering from wounds confront a myriad of problems, not the least being that they are homebound much of the time. They are also predominately senior citizens. This meant communication channels were defined to be TV, radio, treatment clinics or doctors and pharmacies. The secondary target was those who care for people with chronic wounds. They gained their information from more places, particularly press. Carers were split into professionals (doctors, nurses and pharmacists as well as allied health workers including podiatrists, occupational therapists, Dietitians) and family members, each requiring different messages.

The awareness issue was addressed through the production of a Community Service Announcement, aired on national television throughout Wound Awareness Week. The primary problem was a lack of awareness and knowledge of the severity and suffering experienced by chronic wound sufferers, as well as an inequality in the way the health system dealt with the issue. The CSA allowed the Association to make the public and health sector aware of its role and existence, as well as directing patients, carers and health professionals to Association for advice and information.

The CSA was backed up with a cross-media public relations campaign. Experts from the Association appeared on national and local radio stations, engaging in talkback with the community as well as giving information regarding the issues faced by the wound care industry as well as suffers. An appearance on a national television health segment was also used. The show was chosen due to its demographic similarity with the consumer target audience.

Trade press was central to the strategy of communicating with health professionals. All communication with health professionals was designed to drive them to the Wound Awareness Week website that was implemented to receive feedback about the Association, the Week and the issue of wounds in general. This feedback loop was integral to the campaign, as it allowed the Association to evolve the awareness campaign for 2008 as well as giving them greater insight into the issues facing wound care and management.

Australian General Practice Network

-Brand Strategy
-Public Relations
-Community Service Announcements for TV and Radio

The Australian Divisions of General Practice is the peak national body representing 119 divisions of general practice and their state-based organisations across Australia. The Division has recently been re-branded as the Australian General Practice Network.

MWC has been working with the AGPN for the last 4 years – providing the organization with advertising, public relations and sponsorship services. Our relationship with the AGPN has seen us produce Community Service Announcement (CSA) television adverts that detail a series of public health issues.

MWC has produced CSAs to raise awareness over a wide range of issues including binge drinking involving alcopops; the problems of mental illness among young people; and the support networks available to those engaged in palliative care.

Our ongoing public relations work has seen MWC secure radio, television and press appearances on behalf of the AGPN, as well as coordinating partnerships with other health-based organisations that add value for both.

MWC have recently been involved in re-branding and repositioning the AGPN within the health community and to the general public.

MWC’s ongoing communications work has contributed to making the AGPN relevant, credible and visible to their members. In addition the general public now also recognises the AGPN as the first point of reference in general practice health care.

Sports Medicine Australia

Sports Medicine Australia is Australia’s peak national body for sports medicine and sports science. It is widely acknowledged overseas as the world’s leading multi-disciplinary sports medicine body.

Sports Medicine Australia advises on medical and health issues for active people - from weekend enthusiasts of all ages through to elite level competition.

SMA approached MWC wanting to achieve three things. Firstly, communicating with their members about the value of membership. Secondly, communicating with the general public about the role of SMA as a support network to their membership. Lastly SMA was keen to drive recruitment of Sports Trainers.

The solution was to produce a series of Community Service Annoucements that highlighted SMA as a community based organization committeed to the development of sports medicine networks in Australia. A corporate DVD for use by members was produced at the same time, allowing SMA to achieve their goals on a tight budget.

The role of SMA is not fully understood, both in the community and by the health profession. SMA offers training to professionals and lay people who want to become involved in the sports medicine industry. It is also involved in sport from community level to elite. SMA had adopted the strategic approach of being “the team behind the teams”. This is the central message communicated through the campaign.

Blundstone and The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia

Blundstone’s work with Angry Anderson, Rose Tattoo front man, as the face of their “tough on the outside soft on the inside” campaign to promote their new 550 boots was an eye-opener for all involved in more ways than one. However through talking to Angry and hearing first hand about the terrible effect that prostate cancer can have that Blundstone became aware of the severity of the issue and the way it affected men - the number of new cases of prostate cancer in Australia has risen by over two thirds in the last decade, and the disease is now as big a threat to men as breast cancer is to women.

Angry was inspired to back the issue after his friend and band-mate Pete Wells, the Rose Tattoo guitarist who sadly lost his hard-fought battle with prostate cancer in March 2006. Prior to passing away, Pete asked Angry to get the word out about prostate cancer, and Blundstone were determine to support Angry in doing this.

A series of three hard-hitting community service announcements fronted by Angry were produced to be broadcast nationally, encouraging Australian men to talk to their doctor about prostate health. The CSAs were produced in conjunction with the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia. A partnership between the PCFA and Blundstone offered a great vehicle to communicate with rural and regional men. This is important as men in rural and regional Australia have a 21% higher prostate cancer mortality rate than men in capital cities, because they have less access to medical treatment.

The campaign will be launched in June 2007. A cross-media public relations campaign will support this launch, focusing on Angry’s story and the legacy of Pete Wells. An informational brochure will be produced by the PCFA in conjunction with the campaign, to be placed in boxes of Blundstone boots.

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