The Australian Swim Schools Association (ASSA) is the nation’s peak body for swimming schools. As a not for profit organisation, ASSA aims to enhance the learn to swim and water safety industry. Zephyr was engaged by ASSA to elevate its position in the swim school industry, while raising awareness around ASSA’s commitment to key water safety initiatives.
THE CHALLENGE
ASSA required a strategic partner to amplify their profile as the nation’s peak industry body. The primary goal was to promote their member services while providing a powerful, unified voice for swim schools – particularly when facing unprecedented disruptions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our Solution
Strategy and objectives
What was the specific objective of our engagement?
Zephyr Agency (operating as Revolution Creative Group at the commencement) was tasked with architecting a national communications framework to position ASSA as the authoritative voice of reason for the aquatics sector. The objective was to transition ASSA from an industry association to a high-profile advocate capable of influencing state-level policy and driving community awareness around swim safety.
Our strategic framework focused on three core pillars:
- Legislative Advocacy: Pressuring state cabinets to recognise swim schools as essential services to expedite reopening post-lockdown.
- Member Value: Demonstrating tangible ROI for ASSA members by providing business insights and industry updates during a time of crisis.
- Community Education: Ensuring swim safety remained a national priority through consistent, thought-provoking news pieces across trusted media outlets.
What channels and tactics did we employ?
We executed a multi-platform earned media strategy targeting metropolitan and regional markets. This included a mix of newsroom pitching to Tier 1 outlets (Print, Radio, and TV) and tailored content for parenting and industry-specific trade media.
Implementation Steps
| Key Action | Description | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging & Advocacy Architecture | Developed a ‘reopen safely’ narrative, curating high-impact pitch angles that balanced industry data with emotional community safety concerns. |
August 2021 – October 2021 |
| Government & Cabinet Pressure | Orchestrated a targeted media blitz (Daily Telegraph, 2GB, ABC) to appeal directly to the NSW State Cabinet, successfully bringing forward pool reopening dates. |
September – October 2021 |
| Broadcast Visibility | Secured high-profile national television appearances to discuss the Learn to Swim crisis, ensuring ASSA reached millions of households. |
2021 - 2022 |
| Trade & Niche Authority | Established a consistent presence in global and local industry publications to validate ASSA’s leadership among international peers. |
Continuous |
| Campaign Reporting | Detailed analysis of reach and sentiment to track the shift in public and political perception of the swim school industry. |
Monthly |
The Results.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
The campaign delivered a total reach exceeding 39.8 million, transforming ASSA’s national footprint. By leveraging the urgency of the pandemic, we moved beyond standard industry updates and achieved significant legislative change, directly impacting the bottom line of swim school businesses by accelerating their return to operation. In the broadcast sector, we secured two appearances on TODAY, while our print strategy saw syndication across the News Corp national network. We bridged the gap between industry trade and mainstream lifestyle media, securing consistent coverage in parenting titles and global authorities like Swimming World Magazine.
| Metric | Before Our Service | After Our Service | Strategic Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Media Mentions | Limited/Ad-hoc | 91 | Established a permanent seat at the table for national safety debates. |
| Total Media Reach | 0 | 39,880,934+ | Mass-market saturation across metro, regional and national markets. |
| High-Impact Placements | 0 | 33 (Initial 7 months) | Rapid-response advocacy that moved the needle on state government policy. |
| Industry Authority | Regional focus | Global/National | Validation as a leading advocate in Splash! and Australasian Leisure Management. |
Media highlights
Client Testimonial.
Zephyr Agency brings support, innovation, passion, and expertise to every project and delivers on time and above expectations.
Collaborating with the team at Zephyr has ensured our brand presence as an organisation has continued to flourish, bringing our vision to life with creativity and professionalism.
Emily McNiell, General Manager
Summary of Success
The partnership between Zephyr Agency and the Australian Swim Schools Association successfully elevated a non-profit body into a powerful national advocate. By executing an impact-led campaign during a period of extreme industry strain, we achieved a staggering total reach of nearly 40 million, anchored by 91 strategic media placements.
Beyond the reach metrics, the true success of this engagement was the tangible legislative shift in NSW, where our media pressure resulted in an earlier reopening of indoor pools. This visibility has not only validated ASSA as the definitive authority in learn-to-swim safety at the time, but has also fortified their international reputation as a leader in aquatic advocacy and member support.
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