Description:

$33,450 might seem like a crazy amount for a damaged casserole pot, but there's a good reason behind that number. It represents the estimated value of the consumer advice our volunteers provided in Auckland last month, totaling over 223 hours spent on consumer rights cases. This advice helps everyday Kiwis avoid the often outrageous costs that come from consumer rights violations, which happen more often than you might think.

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB NZ) is Aotearoa’s go-to for free advice and assistance, run by dedicated volunteers who help people tackle some of life's trickiest problems. A recent report by Impact Lab, commissioned by CAB North Shore Auckland, showed a $13.20 return for every dollar invested. CAB Auckland makes sure every cent of funding from Auckland Council turns into life-changing help for as many Kiwis as possible.

With potential budget cuts on the horizon, CAB’s Advice Auctions aim to show just how valuable their services are, especially to those who only see value in dollar signs. By highlighting the financial and social benefits of their work, CAB hopes to push for more compassionate funding decisions, ensuring their doors stay open for everyone who needs help.

To get the message across, we used everyday broken objects and decorated them with hand-painted typography that shared our advice. We then auctioned them on Trade Me, with the price representing the estimated value of the free advice we give away, every month. This creative approach made the medium part of the message itself.

The typography was carefully designed to fit naturally with these objects, using various materials. For example, the lettering on the car door looked like car badges, made with Molotow paint markers, Molotow chrome markers, Crayola crayons, and ceramic paint markers for a unique look. For the letterbox, we used DIY-like materials, including student-grade poster paint, heavy body textile, and high-opacity white acrylic, to create a perfect, stylish look on the wooden surface. We used CRC marker pens across all items to keep the opacity consistent.

Outdoor communications were placed where the auctions were most relevant: letterboxes (Housing) in suburbs, casserole pots (Consumer) around malls and suburbs, and car doors (Vehicle) near car dealerships. With the help of Trade Me, we also placed banner ads where these objects would make the most sense.

Not only did the campaign boost awareness of the free advice CAB provides to the public, it also helped earn CAB a reprieve from the council’s budget cuts by showing just how valuable their work really is - both financially and socially.