RAPAD is the regional development organisation representing the seven local governments of Central West Queensland (CWQ). Since 1992, the RAPAD councils have come together to foster, facilitate, and promote sustainable development of CWQ.
In recent years, the region’s population has been steadily declining, with residents relocating to cities and bigger regional hubs.
To fill essential worker vacancies and sustain the CWQ’s communities, RAPAD needed a way to encourage people to head outback to live, work, and invest.
RAPAD
Studio 18a
BFJ Media
Government
Economic Development
Interviews
Brand strategy
Logo
Visual identity
Campaign ideation
Website
Digital marketing
Social campaigns
Photography
Videography
RAPAD’s original idea was to create three RAPAD-branded websites. Each site was to represent one of the three campaign pillars: live, work, invest.
However, after delving deep into the campaign objectives, we presented an alternative: We’d make a splash with a fresh new sub-brand. We’d build awareness with a digital campaign. And we’d drive traffic to a website that brought the live, work, and invest pillars together in one place.
To understand our target audience, we interviewed residents from metro areas. The overwhelming perception was that CWQ was desolate and devoid of opportunity.
Our interviews also revealed how much city-siders value lifestyle balance. Financial and professional success is important to them, but so is having quality time for friends, family, and leisure.
When we headed outback to immerse ourselves in CWQ, we realised how right and wrong our metro interviewees had been.
Wrong, in that the reality of CWQ was miles away from their perceptions – out here was the land of untapped opportunity.
And right, in the importance of work/life balance. Our CWQ interviewees echoed this sentiment – the only difference was that CWQ residents didn’t just believe it, they lived it.
When you choose to live, work, and invest in CWQ, you’re choosing the path less travelled. But more than that – you’re cutting the crap from everyday life.
‘Cut the crap’ is about skipping the plastic lifestyle and fast tracking your goals.
It’s honest and bold, just like the Central West.
A name that goes beyond a label, FarOut! is a nod to CWQ’s geographical location, the unexpected opportunities of the region, and the brand’s straight-shooting essence.
Wanting to drive movement to Central West QLD, we drew inspiration from directional road signs. Pointing west, the logomark pays homage to the regional energy of CWQ and hints that there’s more to come – more excitement, more opportunities, more of the laidback lifestyle you’ve been dreaming of.
No one knows CWQ better than the people who call it home. And there’s nothing more powerful than a real story, told true. Through a series of interviews, we captured the real stories of people who’d made the move to the Central West.
These stories were textured, heartening, and most importantly, they were as real as it gets. Shot in video, these stories became a core component of the FarOut! brand and its digital launch campaign.
It was essential for the website to be modular enough to flex and grow with the brand. With our custom page builder, the RAPAD team can easily edit and add pages to support future campaigns.
Built on WordPress, the site leads by example and cuts the crap by embracing simple navigation. The straightforward banner menu means visitors get the information they need on living, working, and investing in CWQ, fast.
To build brand awareness, engage the local community, and get people talking about the prospect of a CWQ tree change, we kicked off the FarOut! launch with a digital campaign.
Using a mix of paid and organic media, we brought the campaign to life across Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram. The 4-month campaign period generated plenty of leads, with people reaching out to discuss job opportunities, housing options, and life in the CWQ.
This marked an exciting chapter for CWQ. Prior to the launch of the FarOut! brand and campaign, RAPAD had struggled to generate enquiries of this volume.
Since launching the FarOut! brand and campaign in 2021, we continue to work in close partnership with RAPAD.
We feel honoured to have been a part of this journey from the very beginning and to be trusted as RAPAD’s creative partner. This is just the beginning for FarOut!
From the very beginning, the team at Driven felt like true partners. They didn’t just take the brief and start work. They took the time to understand our goals, respectfully challenge our initial ideas, and develop a creative alternative that made better sense for our objectives, budget, and timeline. Right from the outset they got “it”, got us, and got what we were trying to achieve. The FarOut! brand has enabled us to celebrate and promote Central West Queensland and capture the attention of our target audience. We couldn’t be prouder to partner with Driven for this project.
Want to find out more about the campaign?