In a bid to build interest in ICT careers amongst young people, and particularly young girls, the Australian Computer Society (ACS) has launched an advertising campaign featuring a female superhero character.
The highly visible technology superheros campaign is running on national television and radio, supported by display ads in airports and on public transport.
ACS creative director, Kate Grabowski, said the super girl campaign began as a drive to inspire and appeal to children, using images of a young girl in a red cape last year but featuring a more grown up superhero in this year’s campaign.
“She came across to me as someone who was leaping into the future and looking to change the world. It really embodied everything we wanted to say, and I was excited to make it the visual backbone of the campaign. We have gone from a generic image to having an actual live superhero girl in our campaign, and it was amazing to see the creative vision coming to life.
Ms Grabowski said this campaign also has a focus on creating technology rather than just using it, featuring children building virtual structures like a new bridge, or creating and visualising a new aeroplane.
The images were photographed from ACS’ offices in Barangaroo and onsite at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair with the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the background so that we convey we’re uniquely Australian. The idea is to get parents and children excited about the future and what technology has to offer.
AS a young woman working in the ICT sector herself, Ms Grabowski said she is proud of her work on the campaign.
“It’s such large-scale advertising and the fact that we are depicting young children – males and females – signifies a shift from the old mentality of who is working in tech. It’s interesting because women have always been interested in technology, but it hasn’t been shown.
“You don’t see much advertising for the technology sector, and what you see is mainly product and still images. This campaign shows real people in a modern setting focussing on the future. We have gone past the idea of tech as someone sitting at a computer which was an old look. Tech is new and vibrant and innovative, and I think this campaign is all those things.
Ms Grabowski also said the campaign is designed to dispel old stereotypes. “I’m not by any stretch a tech geek. Yes, in one part of my life I am a woman working in tech – but I also play footy, love the outdoors and going to festivals. The reality is that most people working in technology are much like me – everyday people who are not defined by the field they work in.
“This campaign doesn’t shoebox the tech sector. It shows it to be vibrant and exciting – genuinely a field where you can change the world. Whatever world people inhabit, they can be a force for good in it and they can use technology as a part of that,” she said.
