Zephyr Agency partnered with Brisbane Sustainability Agency and Brisbane City Council to lead a targeted six week media campaign supporting the delivery of the 17th annual Sustainable BNE Festival, in its first year under the new title and at its new location. The campaign focused on elevating the festival’s refreshed identity, reinforcing Brisbane’s leadership in sustainability and driving strong public engagement. Our goal was to position Sustainable BNE Festival as a reimagined and impactful community event with the credibility of its legacy and the momentum to grow into a nationally recognised platform.
THE CHALLENGE
The client needed to navigate a high-stakes transition: retiring the 16-year Green Heart Fair brand in favour of the refreshed Sustainable BNE Festival. The goal was to announce this new identity and its relocation to the CBD (Roma Street Parkland) while simultaneously expanding the event’s reach to young professionals and high-intent eco-curious audiences without losing its traditional family base.
Our Solution
What was the specific objective of our engagement?
Zephyr Agency led an intensive six-week multi-channel campaign to launch the Sustainable BNE Festival brand. The strategy focused on identity reinforcement, ensuring the public understood that while the name and location had changed, the event’s 16-year legacy of credibility remained. We aimed to position the festival as a premier, lifestyle-driven platform for urban sustainability.
What channels and tactics did we employ?
A city-takeover earned media strategy including digital, broadcast, and print; high-profile asset light-ups (Story Bridge) and strategic influencer partnerships targeting the young professional demographic.
Implementation Steps
| Key Action | Description | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Messaging & Brand Migration | Developed a narrative that bridged the Green Heart Fair legacy with the new Sustainable BNE identity, focusing on Reimagined Legacy. |
2 weeks leading into campaign |
| Broadcast-First News Strategy | Secured prime-time news coverage by leveraging exclusive mainstage announcements (e.g., Bluey Live) and high-visual event zones like the EV ‘Move for Less’ hub. |
6 weeks leading up to event on 24 May 2025 |
| Influencer & Young Professional Outreach | Partnered with lifestyle influencers to showcase the festival’s Thrift & Market and Yoga/Silent Disco elements to attract a younger, CBD-based audience. |
Month of Event |
| Impact Reporting | Comprehensive post-event analysis including audience sentiment on the new location and suggestions for scaling the impact-driven narrative for 2026. |
2 weeks post-event |
The Results.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
| Metric | After Our Service (2025 Rebrand) |
|---|---|
| Total Attendance | Over 20,000 (CBD Hub) |
| Brand Recognition | High Adoption of Sustainable BNE Festival |
| Waste Diversion | 95% Diversion Rate |
| Media Reach | Statewide & Iconic Assets |
| Total Media Mentions | 85 |
| Estimated Media Reach | 2,200,000 |
Media highlights
Summary of success
The Sustainable BNE Festival campaign demonstrated the power of strategic storytelling when celebrating a major brand transition. By protecting the legacy of Green Heart Fair while building excitement around a refreshed identity and new CBD location, Zephyr Agency helped the festival successfully reach new audiences, secure strong media visibility and strengthen its position as a leading sustainability event in Brisbane. Through a targeted mix of media relations, influencer engagement and creative campaign strategy, we delivered measurable results while supporting the client’s long-term vision for growth.
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