Buy From The Bush
Grace Brennan launched the hashtag #BuyFromTheBush on October 16, 2019, to encourage Australians in cities to support rural businesses facing drought. Within weeks, it gained 80,000 Instagram followers, breathing new life into struggling businesses and showcasing the resilience of the bush.
Passionate about storytelling, community-driven change, and showcasing the talent and ingenuity of the bush, Grace and the BFTB team have since achieved remarkable impact for rural creators, makers, and small businesses. In 2020, they launched an online marketplace, providing a vital channel to market, and have delivered sell-out pop-ups in Sydney, such as Martin Place and the MCA lawn, connecting rural makers with city dwellers in an effort to help recover income loss to floods.
The Big Break, a social media pitch-fest for bush businesses, spotlighted rural innovation, with winners including a youth mental health app, an online mothers’ group, and a retail store/cafe in a tiny town. It reached 2 million people, attracted 4,000 votes, awarded $60,000 in prizes, and emphasised the ingenuity of bush entrepreneurs. In 2022, BFTB released an Impact Report, showcasing how digital tools and social impact initiatives can create lasting change in rural Australia.
RPR&Co. are delighted to have supported BFTB over the past five years, securing media coverage, facilitating interviews, managing media relationships, and coordinating press opportunities. BFTB’s impact has contributed to shifting perceptions of regional Australia, showcasing the beautiful products and creativity of bush businesses, and connecting them with a broader audience.
Beneath the Brim: Sarah Wheeler
RPR&Co. partnered with Sarah Wheeler and The Pancare Foundation to amplify her deeply personal mission: a 5500-kilometre trek across Australia with her beloved horses. Inspired by her late mother, Terri, who passed away from a rare upper gastrointestinal cancer, Sarah’s journey is both a personal healing endeavour and a campaign to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
We worked closely with Sarah and Pancare, a national charity that raises awareness, supports families and funds research for upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, to deliver a successful campaign that resulted in substantial funds being raised.
Howdy
Howdy is the brainchild of Hunter-based entrepreneur Mia Ryan. In late 2023, Mia, while running a highly-successful horse business and studying full-time at university, saw a gap in the dating market to meet like-minded country singles. At the age of 22, she launched a first-of-its-kind dating and social networking app for rural singles to revolutionise dating in the bush. Unlike other dating apps, female-founded Howdy is made for country people in mind, with an innovative unlimited radius setting allowing farmers, ringers, agronomists, chopper pilots, bush mechanics, flying vets and anyone else who lives in rural or regional Australia to match with a special someone from all corners of the country, from Walkabout Creek to Woollahra, Bondi to Back O’ Bourke to Bunbury.
Loam Bio
Loam Bio, an Australian leader in the carbon market, is revolutionising soil carbon storage with technology that enhances the amount of carbon sequestered through a unique coating applied to plant seeds. Regarded as a pioneering force in the climate-tech and agri-tech sectors, the company merges cutting-edge microbial technology with sustainable farming practices. Its innovative approach to carbon sequestration and soil health has positioned it as one of the hottest startups globally, attracting major investors and gaining recognition for its potential to transform agriculture and combat climate change.
The Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC)
The Cotton Research and Development Corporation (CRDC) plays a critical role in advancing the cotton industry by funding research and innovation aimed at improving farming practices and productivity. As a key contributor, CRDC drives innovation within the cotton sector, ensuring its global competitiveness. Through strategic research and development, CRDC empowers cotton growers to tackle challenges, improve yields, and promote environmental stewardship. In 2023 RPR&Co. partnered with the (CRDC) on a four-year retainer to deliver PR, social media, and thought leadership initiatives. As a joint effort between the Commonwealth Government and Australian cotton growers, CRDC invests heavily in research, development, and extension (RD&E), with $32.13 million co-invested for the 2024/25 year alone. RPR&Co.’s role has been pivotal in reshaping the narrative around cotton, moving the conversation beyond traditional agricultural media and addressing the perception of cotton as an environmentally harmful commodity.
Impact Ag Australia
Following the successful outcomes of the 2023 media and thought leadership campaign, Impact Ag Australia expanded its partnership with Regional PR & Co to manage a comprehensive brand strategy and deliver two new websites in 2024. This included the creation of detailed and sensitive content, which required the expertise of our in-house specialist team. The aim was to reflect the company’s innovative approach to agricultural investment, enhance its public-facing presence, and align its messaging with its long-term growth objectives.
EvokeAg.
evokeAG. is the premier agrifood tech event in the Southern Hemisphere, bringing together farmers, startups, scientists, global business leaders, and industry experts to shape the future of agrifood. RPR&Co. were the external public relations team charged with generating publicity for the inaugural 2019 event and then followed up with the 2020, and 2023, evokeAG. events.
Hello Yellow, The Canola Trail
Launched in 2017, The Canola Trail has steadily grown in popularity, drawing more visitors to the Riverina each year. By 2023, however, it became clear that the initiative needed a more focused approach to fully realise its potential. Key attractions like Coolamon Cheese, Temora Aviation Museum, and Junee Licorice Factory teamed up with the Temora, Coolamon, and Junee Shire Councils to launch the Hello Yellow campaign.
With resource limitations and lower local awareness among businesses and residents, the campaign’s reach was not as impactful as it could be. These insights highlighted an opportunity to refine the Hello Yellow initiative, creating clearer messaging and stronger community engagement to showcase the Canola Trail as an inspiring and must-visit destination.
RPR&Co. was initially engaged to amplify the Hello Yellow campaign ahead of the canola flowering season. However, in our first meeting, it was apparent that the existing website and channels blurred the distinction between Hello Yellow and the Canola Trail. Both initiatives were being promoted through the same platform, which we identified as a significant barrier to clarity and engagement.
To address this, we recommended stepping back from a PR-first approach and instead proposed a comprehensive brand and website audit. This allowed us to uncover key challenges around brand clarity, messaging, and user experience. By laying this groundwork, we ensured that all messaging, branding, and digital assets were aligned and compelling, setting the stage for a far more targeted and impactful PR campaign.
AgriFutures Rural Women’s Awards
Country women wear many hats. They’re change makers and tyre changers. Sunscreen police and entrepreneurs. Businesswomen, family CEOs, list makers, aunts, musterers, coffee-drinkers-while-running-for-the-school-busers, fencers, mothers, dirt road drivers, roll up the sleevers, gardeners, volunteers and committee members. Work doesn’t stop at 5pm for most women in the bush, and it’s not just the flickering internet service that poses a challenge. It’s the roos on the side of the road, the limited health resources and the long distances to travel. The ripple effects of drought, flood and fire, whether on the land or not.
The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award (RWA) acknowledges and elevates the incredible work of these women, providing a platform to amplify their impact. Running for more than two decades, the Award has boosted the exposure of more than 60 like-minded, vibrant women vying to instil change in their communities. Alongside a $10,000 Westpac bursary, each annual state winner is offered mentoring, resources (including a full publicity campaign) professional development and support via its nation-wide network of business and community leaders. It’s a life-changing opportunity for women championing to make a difference locally.
Lottie Rae
She’s chaos and colour, with a sprinkling of red-dirt sparkle. At just 31, contemporary artist and influencer Lottie Rae is quickly becoming one of the most exciting names in the art world. Since dedicating herself fully to her practice in April 2024, her work has evolved into a striking fusion of boldness and playfulness, perfectly encapsulated in her motto, “Bitta Cool Bitta Chaos”. With sell-out collaborations, high-profile commissions, and a voice that’s unmistakably her own, Lottie’s creations reflect a spirit that speaks to the heart of the bush. With no gallery or shopfront, she relies on the power of social media and web traffic to drive sales, and is living proof that no matter where you call home—even in the most remote corners of the country — you can follow your dreams and make it big. In 2024/25, RPR&CO. had a ball sharing Lottie’s incredible story with the world. From casually dropping an F-bomb on live national TV to giving Karl Stefanovic a run for his money, Lottie’s the perfect example that you can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl.
