Sydney, Australia — The Sydney Morning Herald showcased its brand campaign ‘Here’s to Reason’ through an immersive installation titled ‘The Common Ground’ at SXSW Sydney, created by brand activation agency Curious Nation.
The experience aimed to encourage participants to reflect on their beliefs and consider differing viewpoints. The installation invited visitors to enter a shared space designed to bring the concept of reason to life, reinforcing the importance of balanced and well-reasoned journalism amid growing societal division and misinformation.
Throughout the activation, attendees were presented with a series of statements about modern life and media, including the influence of social platforms and the role of journalism.
Participants were also encouraged to step forward when they agreed with a statement, at which point they were illuminated from above, mirroring the imagery of the accompanying television commercial. The experience gathered over 16,000 individual perspectives and concluded each session with a collective reflection on the diversity of thought and the continuing relevance of reason in public discourse.
Live data was also collected during the event to record attendees’ responses, while the installation’s calm atmosphere provided a contrast to the surrounding Innovation Expo. Visitors were also given a keepsake linking to a digital gallery on ‘The Sydney Morning Herald’ website, enabling the discussion to continue beyond the event.
Moreover, Curious Nation developed the experiential strategy, design, build, and on-site delivery of The Common Ground in partnership with Nine and Publicis Worldwide Australia, the creative agency behind the ‘Here’s to Reason’ campaign. The collaboration follows previous work between Curious Nation and Nine, including the activation of Good Food at the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival’s World Longest Brunch.
Gareth Brock, co-founder and head of strategy at Curious Nation, said, “The Common Ground was designed to help people pause and reconnect with reason. It’s not about who’s right or wrong, it’s about rediscovering dialogue and understanding. Partnering with Nine and Publicis Worldwide to bring this to SXSW was the perfect way to show how brand experiences can make ideas tangible and real.”
Kymberley Joseph, senior marketing manager for The Sydney Morning Herald at Nine, also said, “SXSW is a festival built on the exchange of different ideas, so it was the perfect stage to bring our Here’s to Reason campaign to life. The Common Ground invited people to pause, reflect and explore firsthand just how valuable balanced, well-reasoned news is in navigating an increasingly complex world, while also allowing them to connect with our brand in a really rich, immersive and memorable way.”
