In a bold move that would typically take a year of traditional marketing to achieve, NRMA Insurance’s Help Our Highway campaign, delivered in partnership with News Corp Australia (NCA) and media agency Initiative, cut through Queensland’s media landscape, elevating road safety into the public and political spotlight.
Launched in April 2024 with a statewide editorial blitz across The Courier-Mail and regional mastheads, the campaign raised critical awareness about the dangers of the Bruce Highway, one of Queensland’s most notorious roads.
Data-driven empathy in action
At the heart of the campaign was NRMA Insurance claims data revealing a 48% surge in highway-related incidents.
This insight was brought to life through creative executions such as an ‘Open Letter to Queenslanders’’, supported by platinum cover wraps, digital takeovers, premium editorial content, and social amplification.
The goal? Transform NRMA Insurance from a perceived outsider into a trusted, community-focused voice on road safety. In just three months, the campaign achieved significant political, commercial, and public traction.
Setting the agenda on road safety
NRMA’s research found that 58% of Queensland drivers had been negatively impacted by the Bruce Highway, with one in 10 personally affected by a fatality, highlighting the dire need for reform.
Phase one of the campaign coincided with the federal government’s announcement of a National Road Safety Data Hub and a $21 million funding boost, an initiative more than a decade in the making.
Momentum continued into the 2024 Federal Budget, which pledged $467 million for safety upgrades, followed by a five-year $1 billion commitment. By January 2025, the campaign had helped trigger a historic $7.2 billion bipartisan election promise, Australia’s largest-ever road safety investment, ensuring every kilometre of the Bruce Highway would meet national safety standards.
Deep local knowledge and authenticity drove success
NCA’s General Manager of Client Growth and Experience, Renee Sycamore, credited the company’s Frontiers program for creating the conditions for genuine, insight-led collaboration.
“Our Frontiers program is about bringing together core agency personnel, stakeholders, and partners for meaningful, two-way conversations,” Sycamore said.
“In this case, we worked closely with NRMA Insurance and Initiative to understand their challenges and create a campaign that resonated with Queenslanders on a personal level.”
With input from The Courier-Mail Editor Chris Jones and other stakeholders, the team recognised Queensland’s unique cultural context, and tapped into it.
“To drive significant mindset or behavioural change in Queensland, we couldn’t just out-shout competitors,” Sycamore added. “The people of Queensland are incredibly proud of their state, and they wanted to hear from someone who truly understood their needs. That’s where NRMA Insurance connected authentically with the Help Our Highway campaign.”
Results that matter
The campaign produced 68.2 million media impressions in its first week alone. In total, phase one delivered 33 editorial articles and 27 social posts across News Corp Australia’s network, amplifying the message statewide.
Effectiveness was validated with clear brand uplift:
• Ad awareness: +13 points
• Brand preference: +7 points
• Purchase intent: +3 points
• “Understands QLD drivers”: +8 points
• “A brand for Queenslanders”: +6 points
According to a Kantar Content Uplift study, 79% of Queenslanders deemed the campaign relevant and 78% felt positively about NRMA Insurance.
“The campaign success highlights the importance of authenticity, community impact, and the need for brands to demonstrate trust and advocacy,” Sycamore said.
A new benchmark for brand and media partnerships
The Help Our Highway initiative has become a benchmark campaign within NCA.
“Now, we’re competing with ourselves,” Sycamore laughed. “We’ve set the bar high, and we continue to push for greater outcomes for our clients. Our results speak for themselves.”
She said the Frontiers program remains a cornerstone of NCA’s innovation framework.
“At Frontiers, we create an environment where agencies can openly share challenges and brainstorm solutions. The program has been key to uncovering opportunities for partnerships and creating campaigns that have a real, lasting impact.”
The campaign also exemplifies a broader shift: brands are expected to serve communities, not just customers.
“We’re not just telling stories for ourselves; we’re telling stories that matter to people,” Sycamore concluded.
Through strategic storytelling, community engagement, and authentic advocacy, NRMA Insurance and News Corp Australia demonstrated how media partnerships can do more than market a message, they can move the needle on public policy and create meaningful, measurable change.