Pride events have taken place in Darwin for about three decades, but up until this year they were humble affairs for select groups of the queer community (predominantly cisgendered, able-bodied, white gay men) that didn’t draw huge crowds.
Inspired by other celebrations in Sydney, Melbourne and internationally, the organisers of Darwin Pride (a completely new board of nine volunteers for 2023) wanted to take things to the next level and put on a jam-packed queer programme that truly represented the diverse and unique LGBTQIA+ landscape in the Top End.
The
Brief
The
Process
Darwin Pride’s objective was clear – get queer residents and visitors to Darwin in June excited about Pride and encourage them to book into at least one event. The idea being that, once Pride was over, every single attendee should feel that there was at least one event that catered to them, their interests, values and experiences.
We created the brand platform “Embrace difference, somewhere different” – a call to action for queer people across the Territory and beyond to come to Darwin and celebrate themselves and their chosen family in a place unlike anywhere else on Earth.
The
Work
Our brand played into the cheeky and irreverent nature of the Top End (DP in the NT, anyone?) and we created a fully integrated suite of assets including posters, flyers, printed and online programmes, print ads, OOH advertising, social media ads and itineraries, a TV ad and event the label for Darwin Pride’s official gin.
The four-day weekend was the biggest Pride celebration Darwin – and the Top End – has ever seen. Every single event sold out, thousands attended the march and music festival that took place on the Saturday and feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. Local businesses, politicians and performers all praised the organisers of DP23, with one person on Facebook commenting: “I want to acknowledge what an amazing Pride this was. It has never felt more diverse and inclusive. Thank you for bringing a spark back to Darwin.”
Why It
Worked
