Case Study

Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Strategy planning and awareness campaign

The Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) supports the development of Noongar-owned, and other Aboriginal-owned, businesses to build economic capacity and wealth among the people of the Noongar nation and for Aboriginal people throughout the State.

It is a strong advocate for Aboriginal businesses and connects its members’ businesses to corporate partners and other non-Aboriginal businesses in WA.

Purple has been an early supporter of the NCCI, providing pro-bono communications support since 2018.

The challenge

With national debate now focused on the Uluru Statement and the Voice to Parliament, and State Government policies in place which promote procurement of Aboriginal goods and services, Purple is working alongside the NCCI to seize these opportunities to promote their member businesses and to continue to raise awareness of its important work.

Our approach

Purple has supported NCCI with pro bono communications support for five years but recently entered a new collaboration which has strengthened the partnership.

In January 2022, Purple and NCCI collaborated to hire an Aboriginal university graduate to provide additional, in-house strategic communications advice for the NCCI, helping the NCCI execute a communications plan to assist the achievement of its new primary goals and objectives.

The Purple team facilitated a strategy session with the NCCI team and its board of directors to outline the requirements of a strategic communications plan that will be implemented over the year by the newly hired consultant, including:

  • Advice and implementation of new key messages
  • Refreshed stakeholder list and targets
  • Member engagement
  • New collateral
  • Media and social media content plans

The results

In just eight months since beginning the next phase of our partnership, the NCCI LinkedIn page has gained an additional 450 additional followers, raising the total to more than 1,150.

In addition to the 39 per cent increase in followers, monthly impressions have risen from under 1,000 to over 9,000 in just eight months. Social media is a particularly valuable tool for NCCI in raising its corporate profile and showcasing the great work it is producing to attract new corporate partners.

In just five years, the NCCI has become the fastest-growing business chamber in Australia – with 500 members joining since 2018. It has built strong and important relationships with corporate Australia, including Shell, CBRE, FMG, South32, Perth Airport and Hesperia.

“I have been extremely impressed with the quality and commitment of Purple and the specialised services offered to us as a Noongar entity. Purple has demonstrated a high level of cultural competence in working with us as Noongar business people.

The technical skills of their personnel and genuine commitment of corporate leaders have ensured the very best advice and professional support. Purple demonstrated great understanding of the NCCI’s work, specifically with perspective and worldview of us as a cultural chamber of commerce and industry, where our Noongar cultural/spiritual values and contexts are at the forefront.”

Oral McGuire, Director, Noongar Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Keys to success

Collateral development

Refreshing existing collateral

Strategic communications plan

Facilitating a strategy session

Member engagement

Encouraging member engagement