Qantas ‘Cookie’ Campaign to Support the Arts

A new cause-related campaign called Proud to Call Australia Home will see Qantas’s latest in-flight snack offering from food company Charlie’s Cookies set to provide philanthropic support to innovative Not for Profits.

As part of the partnership, the  Australian-owned cookie company has developed a new line of “in-flight snack boxes with heart”, according to the Managing Director of Charlie’s Cookies, Ken Mahlab, the brother of Pro Bono Australia’s founder Karen Mahlab AM.

“Through our on-going relationship with Qantas we discovered a shared vision for wanting to get behind great Australian organisations,” Ken Mahlab said.

“Charlie’s set about developing a program of philanthropic support via Qantas’s complimentary in-flight snack menu, which naturally taps into a huge captive audience. It’s a real win-win all round.”

He said the idea of the Proud to Call Australia Home campaign was developed in a way that it could enhance the whole shared value concept for the community.  

“Charlie’s will direct five cents from every snack box sold to Qantas to a range of selected Australian initiatives.”

He said the campaign would see Qantas move through 240,000 units over six months with the potential to generate $12,000 in funds for the chosen organisation.

“The first of the new Proud to Call Australia Home snack boxes will highlight the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisation, Bangarra Dance Theatre,” Mahlab said.

“It’s the definition of a three-way collaboration. As one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies Bangarra is well known and incredibly highly regarded but it is certainly not a household name. To have their brand put in front of 250,000 people in a captive audience environment is worth an enormous amount. I would argue it is worth more than the money.

“For Qantas it enhances their relationship with both their inflight customer and also enhances their core values of community responsibility.”

“The fact is Qantas is Australian, Bangarra is Australian and Charlie’s is Australian. There is a rub-off effect for the three brands. For Charlie’s there is a marketing value in being associated with Bangarra… but who says we can’t benefit and do good at the same time.”

Bangarra Dance Theatre Executive Director Philippe Magid said: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Charlie’s Cookies on their innovative new campaign supporting Australian initiatives and organisations.

“We’ve been fortunate to have a long and meaningful association with Qantas, so this is great opportunity for us to deepen our relationship and grow brand awareness with their customers via the Charlie’s Cookies snack box.”

The campaign will run until September.