Better in a Trade Union

Better in a Trade Union is a campaign by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), the largest civil society organisation on the island of Ireland. The purpose of the campaign was to increase awareness of trade unions across industries generally speaking and to encourage people to learn more about the benefits of trade unions. This was an integrated campaign with a wide variety of outputs.

The visual identity for the campaign was inspired by trade union protest placards, using a bold typeface and hand painted graphic elements to give energy to the messaging. The brand elements are tied together with a dramatic palette of black, white and fluorescent green, giving a nod to the all-island nature of the campaign while also giving us the ability to integrate messaging and logos from each member union in our communications. Alongside a suite of OOH, press and digital assets, we also developed a robust brand toolkit and guidelines for individual unions to use. 

The campaign creative included interviews with real trade union members across different unions, professions and ages who explained, in their own words, the benefits of membership and what being part of a trade union meant to them. These interviews were used to create a suite of video content which ran on VOD, YouTube and social media. The campaign also used photography of these participants in OOH formats including bus shelters, posters and commuter cards and on other digital platforms. Furthermore, the campaign included a radio/digital audio ad, a native article in the Irish Independent, merchandising, and a website which answered FAQs about unions in Ireland and gave access to the brand toolkit. Social channels were established for the campaign and these were populated with organic content. Phase II of the campaign - Trade Union Week - was kicked off in spectacular fashion with Dublin’s Bohemian Football Club launching their ‘Better in a Trade Union’ jersey.

With a total audience reach exceeding 3 million, the campaign effectively utilised media relations and digital communications to amplify its message. Notable achievements include the launch of Trade Union Week, which garnered coverage from national and local media outlets, including RTÉ. The campaign's social media presence saw substantial growth, with nearly 1,000 followers across newly established accounts. Overall this campaign was a tremendous opportunity to renew focus on trade unions, create more awareness among potential members and foster positive collaboration within the trade union movement across the island of Ireland.