Putting pollinators on the national agenda for World Bee Day

MEDIA MANAGEMENT | stakeholder management | Communications strategy | Social media management
INDUSTRY: POLLINATION & NOT-FOR-PROFIT

The client:

The Wheen Bee Foundation, Australia’s largest not-for-profit dedicated to bees and pollinators, and the official Australian Secretariat for World Bee Day.

The challenge:

Each year, World Bee Day on 20 May offers a unique opportunity to raise awareness of bees and their role in food security, biodiversity and ecosystem health. But cutting through the noise of the national news cycle - and making pollinators a priority - is no small task.

The Foundation needed a strategic, creative and resource-savvy campaign to rally Australians around bees, drive donations and cement its role as the leading voice for pollinator awareness.

Our delivery:

We developed and delivered a national communications campaign that was equal parts strategic and heartwarming, bringing together science, storytelling and a little bit of fun to get people talking about bees.

The campaign included:

  • A communications strategy with clear messaging and calls to action

  • Coordinated rollout across social, web, EDM and media

  • Influencer engagement, including partnerships with eco, ag and science creators

  • A nationwide events calendar and online event submission system

  • A targeted digital advertising campaign across social media and Google Ads

  • High-profile advocacy, including a World Bee Day message from the Governor-General

  • National media outreach to amplify the message across print, online and radio

  • Simple, shareable content from bee facts and community stories to memes and visual explainers

  • Stakeholder engagement and support for industry groups, volunteers, event hosts and the public

  • Program development support, including creation of The Great Bee Morning Tea to drive donations and spark conversations

Our impact:

  • 261,900 reached on social media - a 352% year-on-year increase

  • 11.17 million reached via media coverage across print, online and radio

  • 50+ World Bee Day events listed across the country

  • A strong sense of community, collaboration and momentum for bee health advocacy

Bees may be small, but on 20 May, the whole country paid attention.