2016

New SBS campaign asks Australians to Face Up to Racism

Monday 13 February, 2017

News Release

SBS has launched a national marketing campaign promoting Face Up to Racism week, a special week of programs from 26 February – 5 March which explore racism and prejudice in Australia today.

The campaign is encourages Australians to ‘face up to racism’, and is inspired by research from one of the biggest ever surveys conducted on racism and prejudice, commissioned by SBS with Western Sydney University, for the new SBS documentary Is Australia Racist?, which found that one in five Australians have experienced racism in the last 12 months*. This confronting statistic will feature throughout the campaign designed to highlight the reality of racism experienced by people in Australia today, as well as drive people to tune in to Face Up to Racism week on SBS, and join the discussion online with #FU2Racism.  

Amanda McGregor, SBS Director of Marketing, said: “Through Face Up to Racism week, SBS is provoking an important national discussion about racism and prejudice in Australia today, at a time when debate about difference continues to make headlines around the world.

“SBS’s role is to promote understanding and acceptance of the diversity of the Australian people. Through this campaign, we want to encourage Australians to be more aware, have a greater understanding, and inspire change for a diverse and inclusive Australia.”

The campaign includes on-air promotion spots across SBS television, and out of home advertising across the five major metropolitan cities in train stations, bus interiors, Adshel placements and shopping centre panels as well as large format digital billboards.

SBS is also encouraging discussion on social media inviting people to share confronting, empowering and inspiring stories of people facing up to racism, and to join the conversation about the topics explored within Face Up to Racism week using the hashtag #FU2Racism.

Presented by Ray Martin, Is Australia Racist? (8.30pm, Sunday 26 February) is one of three commissioned documentaries which will feature in Face Up To Racism week on SBS, alongside Date My Race (8.30pm, Monday 27 February) which looks at what role race plays in finding love, and The Truth About Racism (8.30pm, Wednesday 1 March) which examines the science behind racism. These thought-provoking new programs will be supported by a range of other stories, discussions and shows exploring the subject across SBS, on television, radio and online.

The campaign was developed in collaboration with SBS's media agency Zenith and their Innovate division.

The Face Up to Racism campaign creative and all assets were developed in-house by SBS’s Creative Services team.

#Ends#

Notes to Editors:

Team credits:
Director of Marketing: Amanda McGregor
Head of Creative Services: Joel Noble
Creative Lead: Oliver Holme
Lead Producer: Carley Edmonds
Support Producer: Pauline Piper
Senior Designer: Alison Hastie
Designers: Marissa Meyer/Emy Dossett/Matt Harvey
Editor: Tim Cummins
Marketing Managers: Anna Saunders/Sally Luff
Brand Manager: Olivia Platt
Marketing Coordinator: Bise Angelkovska
Social Marketing Manager: Rick Govic
Media Agency: Zenith

*About the survey:
The ‘Is Australia Racist?’ survey was conducted by Professor Kevin Dunn at Western Sydney University.

An online survey, using a commercial survey provider, of a total of 6001 Australians examined attitudes to cultural difference, tolerance of specific groups, ideology of nation, perceptions of Anglo-Celtic privilege, belief in racism, racial separatism and racial hierarchy, and experiences of racism.

The survey was undertaken for a new SBS documentary, Is Australia Racist?, one of a number of programs to be shown on SBS from Sunday 26 February to Sunday 5 March as a part of SBS’s Face Up To Racism week.
Other findings from the survey include:
* nearly a third of those surveyed said they experienced racism within their workplace
* almost a third said they have experienced racism within an educational facility
* nearly half of Indigenous respondents said they experienced racism at sporting events.
* 35% said they have experienced racism on public transport or on the street
* Most people surveyed agreed that it is a positive thing that Australia be made up of different cultures – and that they would face up to discrimination in society if they encountered it.

About SBS:
As Australia’s multicultural broadcaster, SBS holds a unique place in the Australian media landscape, inspiring all Australians to explore, appreciate and celebrate our diverse world and in doing so, contributes to a cohesive society. As described in the SBS Charter, SBS’s principal function is to provide multilingual, multicultural and Indigenous radio, television and digital media services that inform, educate and entertain all Australians. Today, SBS is a modern, multiplatform media organisation and carries out this function across a TV portfolio spanning five distinctive channels on free-to-air and subscription TV; an extensive radio service providing more than 70 communities with programs in their own language; and an innovative and growing online and digital presence ensuring SBS is responding to the changing needs and demands of audiences. 

 For more information visit www.sbs.com.au.