Drawing a record-breaking crowd to a public event requires great preparation, promotion and attention to public safety. See how the City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch achieved something special for Australia's Anzac heroes.
The City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch holds Australia’s biggest Anzac Day with eye-catching displays on multiple mediums that achieved high visibility and public safety.
Newcastle RSL
We will remember them
The City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch holds a large dawn service for ANZAC Day every year. In 2019 the committee wanted to update its branding to appeal to the younger generation while staying true to the solemness of the occasion. The new branding needed to be suitable for use in all forms of print media and stand out during the live telecast of the ANZAC Dawn Service.
SIGNWAVE Newcastle approached the challenge with a mix of strategies.
A community presence
For the huge crowds that attended there was an abundance of custom-designed and printed mesh fence signage that served as both eye-catching branding and a safety measure. The fences were installed in multiple locations and featured heavily in photographs and live TV broadcasts.
SIGNWAVE also produced a custom printed marquee for the event management materials and officials and as a highly visible designated meeting point. Within the tent was a table covered in custom printed tablecloths that covered boxes of collateral such as the service programs, VIP and volunteer lanyards and maps – also designed and produced by SIGNWAVE Newcastle.
People were due to arrive for the dawn service from 3am, so illuminated directional signage was vital. The Newcastle team printed onto corflute and added reflective arrows and location names that could easily be seen both in dark and daylight.
Print, pubs and social platforms
SIGNWAVE’s contribution was not limited to the event itself with signage, displays and advertising required in the lead up to promote the event throughout the region.
In the weeks prior, retractable banners were displayed in local pubs and clubs to advertise the event and the sponsors – and as a sponsor, SIGNWAVE Newcastle also displayed one of the banners in its own centre.
“We also designed the front page of the Supplement Program in the Newcastle Herald newspaper, along with multiple advertisements, maps and information on the front page and within the paper,” said June White, owner, SIGNWAVE Newcastle.
Lastly, SIGNWAVE designed and produced all the social media content that was used for the event across many platforms.
An unprecedented success
A record-breaking 57,000 people attended the City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch service, making it the largest Anzac Day service in Australia in 2019.
Despite a tight deadline, the event’s phenomenal popularity and seamless and safe delivery made it an unprecedented success. So much so that SIGNWAVE Newcastle was presented with a Commendation Award in recognition of their continuous and outstanding commitment, service, and excellence in supporting the City of Newcastle RSL ANZAC Day Committee.
“Almost immediately afterwards we started preparations for the 2020 ANZAC Day Dawn Service”, said White. “We aim to have more signage, more numbers attending and even more success!”
Ken Fayle from The City of Newcastle RSL Sub-Branch was just as enthusiastic about SIGNWAVE’s involvement. “Given the extremely tight time frame we set, the results were not only beyond what we had originally envisaged, the suppliers and providers - such as the Newcastle Herald - were very impressed at the quality of the product SIGNWAVE Newcastle provided to them for print and process,” he said.