Exploring the crisis facing Australian children and families
Stories from Berry Street
Berry Street
The Brief
There is a crisis facing children and families in Australia today. Rates of domestic violence, abuse and neglect are up and the system built to support victim survivors, appears to be broken despite record levels of investment.Berry Street, an organisation that began in Victoria nearly 150 years ago, has been dedicated to keeping children, young people and families safe, thriving and hopeful.In response to the rising rates of harm and violence in the community, and to increase awareness of the innovative work Berry Street is doing in addressing the crisis, they wanted to produce a podcast to help deliver their message to as wide an audience as possible.Beyond the media headlines the goal is to educate and inform listeners about the realities of disadvantage and the growing scourge of violence and abuse, so widespread that it could be the woman in front of you at the Coles checkout or the kids playing in the playground next to yours, who are being harmed.Ensuring children are safe and thriving is everyone’s responsibility and we should all be aware of exactly what’s going on, what’s being done to address it and how we can help to end it.
The Approach
After a detailed strategy workshop, a couple of significant outcomes were reached – the stories needed to be told as authentically and realistically as possible, and the choice of host was going to be critical to the success of the podcast.Richelle Hunt, ABC Radio presenter, host of the Conversation Hour, was selected as podcast host. Her talent, compassion and professionalism are stand out factors as is her deep interest and knowledge of the space.An interview narrative style was agreed upon, in conjunction with music and sound design that helps to communicate the importance of the topics being discussed and to keep listeners engaged.SoundCartel producer Nicole Goodman, worked with Berry Street in preparing detailed episode briefs, holding pre interviews and scheduling recordings in our Melbourne studio. Video recorded in the studio is also being used to create social media assets to promote each episode.Berry Street has also built a full marketing campaign to promote the podcast, including digital marketing, social media marketing and PR. And when marketing contributes about 50% to the success of any podcast, this is the best approach.
The RESULT
The launch of Stories from Berry Street has resulted in immediate media coverage, with listener numbers solidly increasing. Berry Street’s willingness to tell these important stories is being well received and will work to strengthen its relationship with listeners and partnerships with stakeholders, all in an effort to continue the work they do to keep children and families safe.
“We knew that producing a podcast was no easy task and we didn’t want a quick win. SoundCartel has been instrumental in setting us up for success with a high-quality production that is aligned to Berry Street’s strategy and designed to resonate with listeners. We’ve worked together every step of the way from strategy through to execution and are delighted with the results so far.”
– Nicola Roberts, Head of Marketing and Fundraising, Berry Street
