Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ Bank) is transforming street signs beyond inner-city Sydney to show its support for LGBTIQ+ inclusion.
As 84% of LGBTIQ+ individuals in Australia believe there are still parts of country where they feel unsafe, the bank is turning Oxford Street signs across the country into Mardi Gras Festival sculptures.
It hopes those living away from Oxford Street parade-route can feel the festival’s celebration of diversity and commitment to social equality.
One challenge the bank found when planning for the campaign was that it realized there are Oxford Streets all over Australia (123 to be exact), which is why it enlisted the help of TBWA\Melbourne and Revolver/Will O’Rourke.
The parties then transformed Oxford Street signs countrywide into representations of LGBTIQ+ culture, from rainbows and love hearts to sailor flamingos and unicorns.
Popping up on Oxford Streets from Bunbury in Western Australia to Berry Springs in the Northern Territory, the campaign culminates in a massive 123-sign, six-metre tall, four-tonne ‘Signs of Love’ sculpture unveiled at Sydney’s Bondi Beach (and favourite Mardi Gras hot spot) to draw attention to ANZ’s push for an equal future for LGBTIQ+ individuals in every town, suburb and city across Australia.
The bank is also working with Google to display the street signs on Google Street View so people around the world can view the installations.
“We’re letting everyone know that no matter how far from Oxford St Sydney you are, we’re supporting you as we strive for inclusive communities and an #equalfuture for all”, said Carolyn Bendall, the head of marketing in Australia for ANZ Bank.
