Скачать или смотреть 36 Months - 36 Months (Case Study) | Campaign

36 Months - 36 Months (Case Study) | Campaign

1. Background

The campaign addressed the growing mental health crisis among teens linked to social media use, calling for legislation to raise the minimum age for social media to 16 in Australia. Despite rising public concern and strong support—77% of Australians and 91% of Gen Z favoring stricter regulation—no action had been taken, with outdated policies relying on U.S. standards. The campaign aimed to shift the debate from parental responsibility to national legislation, pushing for real change to protect young people.

2. Creative Idea

Raise the age of social media citizenship from 13 to 16, using media, celebrities, parents, and political back-channeling, to create a chorus of unignorable voices that pressures politicians to pass legislation.

The campaign’s clear, singular objective—raising the social media age from 13 to 16—provided an unambiguous policy solution, difficult for politicians to ignore.

3. Insights & Strategy

The campaign achieved meaningful policy change by focusing on a single, clear objective: raising the minimum age for social media use to 16 through legislation. Rather than diluting the message by addressing broader issues like online gaming, pornography, or screen time, the strategy was to push one specific and actionable demand—something black and white that politicians could debate.

The approach relied on three core pillars: sustained and strategic media coverage to keep pressure on decision-makers, perfect campaign timing ahead of a federal election to turn the proposal into a political promise, and mobilizing everyday parents. Instead of relying on expert voices, the campaign empowered moms and dads who experience these challenges daily. By encouraging them to take one small but meaningful action—signing a petition—the movement gained momentum. The printed petition, with over 100,000 signatures, became a powerful physical symbol brought to every political meeting and media appearance. Ultimately, the campaign gave politicians a chance to publicly align with families, with the Prime Minister stating during the announcement, “This is one for the mums and dads.”

4. Execution

We designed our campaign blueprint for 36 Months around the ‘Anatomy of Change’ which included:

1. Clear and specific ask of government - legislate a minimum age for social media use in Australia of 16 years old.

2. An easy call to action for parents - sign the petition. This petition engaged a grassroots movement of parents and became evidence of public sentiment that was brought into every meeting with politicians.

3. Use radio as an advocacy platform, spearheaded by radio star Michael “Wippa” Wipfli who played a pivotal role, using his breakfast show to host key interviews. These were then pitched to mainstream media, ensuring expert insights and political commitments entered the broader news cycle, amplifying the campaign’s impact.

4. Use celebrity engagement on socials, using the #wheniwas13 campaign to mobilise the mother army and drive people to the petition.

5. Families with lived experience of the problem became case studies.

6. All of the other components - celebrity, radio exposure, prime-time media coverage, advocacy families with lived experience, the petition, the clarity of our ask - placed pressure on the Leader of the Opposition and the Prime Minister. This turned this from an awareness campaign to a policy campaign. As momentum built, messaging in the media evolved to directly appeal to the PM, urging him to ‘make a captain’s call and listen to parents, not political advisors.’ This shift personalised the call to action and increased political pressure.

5. Results

In just 36 months, the campaign led Australia to become the first country to legislate a minimum social media age of 16. The law, passed in November 2024, requires tech companies to enforce age limits through robust ID verification.

On the day the legislation was announced, the Prime Minister personally rang 36 Months and followed up with a letter, thanking the team for its advocacy and impact.
The campaign created a blueprint for legislative change which we can now execute around the world, prompting active discussion with local groups in Japan, New Zealand, Western Europe and UK.

3270 stories/70% broadcast, drove national conversation.
127000+ signatures to the Australian petition, overwhelming public support.
New York Times, 60 Minutes, national media coverage.
2.3 B impressions maintained visibility.
2.4 M Instagram views and 100,000 interactions created advocacy.
Shared by American social psychologist and author Jonathan Haidt.

Credits:
Agency: Finch / Sydney
PR / Marketing Agency: Supermassive / Sydney
Client / Brand: 36 Months / Sydney
Director: Greg Attwells
Campaign Strategist: Simone Gupta

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