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Advertising and market research

During 2017–18, the ABS conducted the following advertising including: non-campaign advertising for the 2016 Census of Population and Housing (Census) and campaign advertising for the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.

The Census non-campaign advertising was aimed at promoting the results of the 2016 Census to Australians. The results were released across two main phases in July and October 2017. Further information on the non-campaign advertising expenditure is available at www.tenders.gov.au.

Details of advertising and marketing activity during the period

The Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey campaign advertising aimed to give eligible Australian voters, 18 years and over, the opportunity to express their view on whether the Australian marriage laws should be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Further information on those advertising campaigns is available at www.abs.gov.au and in the reports on Australian Government advertising prepared by the Department of Finance. Those reports are available on the Department of Finance’s website, at www.finance.gov.au.

Under section 311A of the Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918, the ABS is required to disclose payments over $13,200 (GST Inclusive) for advertising and market research in the annual report.

During 2017–18, the ABS’s total expenditure for advertising and market research over the reporting threshold was $18,592,156 (GST Inclusive) (Table 5.4), the vast majority of which was expended on advertising for the Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey.

Table 5.4 Advertising and market research payments over $13,200 in 2017–18

Organisation

Purpose

Expenditure

($, GST inclusive)

Market research organisations

ORC International

Developmental and Market research to inform ABS Communication

86,338

DBM Consultants

2016 Census Research Services – Data Release Communication and Evaluation

62,101

DBM Consultants

2017 Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey – Campaign Evaluation Research

18,943

Advertising (Campaign and non-campaign advertising)

Dentsu Mitchell Media Australia Pty Ltd

2017 Australia Marriage Law Postal Survey Advertising

16,598,405

BMF Advertising Pty Ltd

2017 Australia Marriage Law Postal Survey Advertising

1,184,789

Dentsu Mitchell Media Australia Pty Ltd

2016 Census and Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey Advertising

41,668

Livestream

Australia Pty Ltd

2016 Census – Webcast Services to live stream ABS Census data seminars

41,345

Dentsu Mitchell Media Australia Pty Ltd

2017 Graduate Recruitment Advertising

15,146

Dentsu X Australia Pty Ltd

2017 Graduate Recruitment Advertising

14,385

Outback Global Australia Pty Ltd

National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS

13,398

Public relations organisations

Ethnic Communications

2016 Census – Multicultural Communication Services – Translation and Media Relations

180,620

Fenton Strategic Communications Pty Ltd

2016 Census – Data Release Communication and Media

145,382

King Content Pty Ltd

2016 Census – Digital Content Creation

88,578

MediaLink Productions

2016 Census and National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Survey (NATSIHS) Video Production

64,406

Isobar Australia

2016 Census – Digital content creation

36,650

Total Payments over $13,200 (GST Inclusive)

18,592,156(a)

(a) Figures have been rounded and discrepancies may occur between the total and the sum of the component items.