WA AWARD Award Finalists; KWP+Partners, 303 MullenLowe, Rare & VML

AWARD Award Finalists Have Been Announced - Here's the WA Contingent

Who is AWARD?

AWARD, The Australasian Writers and Art Directors - is a non-political, non-profit organisation with a single purpose: to raise creative standards in all forms of commercial communication.

The 46th AWARD Award Finalists have just been announced and we wanted to highlight the WA finalists and tell you more about their campaigns.

The final installment is from KPW+Partners, and it's highly likely you've seen it because it's been heavily awarded at the PADC Skulls, Oasis Ball Campaign Brief Awards, and others.

Read on to find out more.

KWP+Partners - Cop Enough for WA Police Union

Finalist in the CRAFT | CASTING category, Casting for Film Advertising subcategory.

The Western Australian Police Union had been negotiating with the State Government for better wages, staffing and conditions. We needed to develop a  campaign to win public hearts and minds, and generate media interest, so that when negotiations happened, they had the power of the people behind them.

The strategy was to create outrage in the community. That outrage would put pressure on the government to legislate for better conditions and pay. The real audience was actually only 95 members of parliament, but politicians don’t care unless voters care, so we had to make the voters care first.

The insight that unlocked the creative idea was: Whether people empathise with cops or not, most residents of Western Australia would not want to do the job themselves, especially when they’re reminded of the physical and mental dangers.

The creative idea uses a raw, physical metaphor—the officer being slapped—to symbolise the relentless challenges faced by police. Each slap represents a different hardship: the violence they face, the emotional toll of trauma, the personal sacrifices, and the neglect from those in power. By making these struggles tangible, it forces viewers to confront the unseen toll of the job.

During a 10-hour day of shooting, the star of our online film and TVCs was slapped in the face – for real – over 200 times.

There was a stunt coordinator present to ensure safety throughout, but everyone was glad when the day’s shooting was over.

Bryan Dennis, Executive Creative Director - KWP+Partners

“The casting for this commercial needed to be spot on if we wanted to connect with the WA community. He (Gavin Cowie) was a first-responder himself, and understood the challenges the police face on a day-to-day basis and really brought that emotion through his performance.

It was an extremely difficult role to cast, but as soon as we starting filming, we just knew he would nail it. I’m so happy that it’s been recognised at a show like AWARD”

The campaign has achieved worldwide success, resonating across Australia, New Zealand, and reaching international audiences in the UK, Canada, Germany, and the US.

Local police unions in the UK and Canada shared the campaign’s online video, highlighting a global issue affecting police officers and departments.

The WA Police Union has received feedback from around the world, and the campaign has sparked critical conversations about respect for police roles and their wages, while shedding light on the broader challenges of attraction and retention in law enforcement.

Campaign Credits

Client: WA Police Union

Reney Omar

Jasmine Loda-Batey

Creative Agency: KWP+Partners

Senior Account Director: Tammy Hackett

Project Manager: Carol-Ann Cronin

Business Director: Dru Mincher

Executive Creative Director: Bryan Dennis

Executive Creative Director: Dav Tabeshfar

Production Company: Inhale Content

Director/Executive Producer: Matt Pitcher

Production Coordinator: Alexandra Nell

DoP: Elliott Nieves

1st AC: David Attwell

Male Talent: Gavin Cowie

Female Talent: Sita Bennet

Sound Mixer: Bryan Chance

Stunt Coordinator: Nigel Harbach @ GO Stunts

Hair & Make-up: Ali Knapton

Studio: Johnny MaEditor: Matt Pitcher

Photographer: Mauro Palmieri

Sound Studio: Cue Sound

Sound Design: Shaun Sandosham

Sound Producer: Anika Fourie

Radio VO: Gavin Cowie

Radio VO: Amy Mathews

Media Agency: Atomic 212

Media Planner: Jaimee Shurdington

Media Planner: Michelle Grogan