Little Tasmanian

Entered by: Brand TasmaniaResearch has shown that literacy is a significant problem in Tasmania. The adult functional literacy rates in Tasmania are among the lowest in the world, which is an economic and social tragedy. Yet it’s profoundly cultural.The Tasmanian Government has passionate experts in literacy, with the tools to address it. There are a number of charities, community organisations, committees, and panels - yet they haven’t made progress. The place has a powerful and compelling story, and it’s made up of thousands of people who have overcome hardship and adversity to achieve something special in an isolated place – what the team call “the quiet pursuit of the extraordinary.”How could the team bring this story into the lives of young people? They didn’t want to launch another literacy strategy. Instead, what was needed was a way to inspire and encourage little Tasmanians, to fill them with pride and confidence as early as possible.There are several countries and regions around the world that give new parents a version of Finland’s iconic and wonderful “baby box.” These boxes serve different purposes in each context and community they’re implemented in. In Tasmania, the team wanted to be true to what they had heard in the research: illiteracy and a lack of pride and confidence within their young people were key problems.The team at Brand Tasmania wondered if they could reach children and families with the Tasmanian brand story, in their homes, with the simple message: “someone just like you did it and you can do it too.”Four individual Tasmanians were identified from across the state: a Tasmanian Aboriginal woman who fought to keep her culture alive, a Japanese sushi chef who brought his passion for food and surfing to some of the wildest waves in the world, a woman who launched a precision manufacturing business even though everyone said it would never work, and a girl who played Australian Rules Football despite hearing, again and again, that it’s a sport for boys.The team wrote their stories, in short form, and imagined them in a baby board book, but ultimately, they couldn’t do this alone. They worked with their partners in government who were implementing a strategy for the first 1,000 days. They workshopped the idea with the nurses who visit every family with a newborn, who made the words and the ideas better. The team involved Libraries Tasmania, who wanted to make it part of their family programming, in every community in the state.Organisations in and out of government who specialise in early childhood literacy were consulted.About six thousand babies are born every year in Tasmania. The team wanted to inspire them early, to encourage them and their parents to feel proud and confident.The words were finalised, and the team reached out to children’s book illustrators and found a partner named Shiloh Longbottom - a brilliant Tasmanian illustrator. She uses Procreate; design software invented in Tasmania by a company called Savage Interactive. 40 South, a publishing company based in Tasmania, knew how to turn the words and Shiloh’s illustrations into a beautiful board book.Shiloh brought the place to life, with images of Tasmanian animals like quolls, devils, and echidnas. This was more than a book - Shiloh made a world. She designed magnets for refrigerators that would help parents through the first 1,000 days with their baby. The Tasmanian brand design was fused with her work to create littletasmanian.com.au, a concierge and storytelling site for new parents that brings Tasmanian and Australian advice and support together in one place. And for parents who struggle with literacy, they can go to the site, press play, and Tyler Richardson from the Tasmanian punk band Luca Brasi – a new father himself – reads the book aloud. An Auslan (Australian Sign Language) interpretation and translation in 28 languages ensures the book is for everyone.Shiloh designed a Little Tasmanian bag parents could use, whether they go to the library or the grocery store. And an organic cotton baby onesie / romper was included with the word TASMANIAN on it, in the style of the wordmark – to ensure local pride begins early and to encourage shared photos of adorable little Tasmanians. A voucher for a library card encourages parents to take their children to the network of libraries throughout the state.Thousands of Tasmanian families have received visits from the nurses, who were seeking a way to make these encounters positive and encouraging. The simplicity of “Little Tasmanian” reduces the need for multiple programs and messages that, for the audience, can seem confusing and overwhelming. Partners across government and the social sector are joining in rather than spending money and effort on competing initiatives.The team’s partners “own” it, and they have helped with the words for book two. The nurses have encouraged the team to replace the onesie with a play mat, designed by Shiloh and manufactured in Tasmania. From multi-generational Tasmanians to new families from around the world, kids and parents see themselves in the story and in this place. Not only does this initiative nudge parents towards important health behaviours, but through welcoming new babies with a gift that says, “you’re one of us” and “we believe in you”, the team are planting the seeds of pride and confidence that are so important for future success.Media coverage was generated across the country and partners in other nations are reaching out to adapt the model with their own stories. The advertising budget was $0!

Little Tasmanian

Related content

Vilnius Choir

Chile, We Care

Tasmanian Youth Story

Odd Jobs

Essential Costa Rica’s AI and data driven strategy

Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail

Selling modern Scotland to the world – NEXT!

Little Tasmanian

Discover CNP Connect

Related content

Vilnius Choir

Chile, We Care

Tasmanian Youth Story

Odd Jobs

Essential Costa Rica’s AI and data driven strategy

Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail

Selling modern Scotland to the world – NEXT!

Confirm cancellation