Coming up with a way of encouraging young people to embrace paying taxes, and to start thinking about superannuation, sounds like an impossible task even for the most seasoned advertising guru or marketing executive.
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However, with some encouragement from their teacher, commerce students from St Catherine’s Catholic College have risen to the occasion and embraced this challenge.
And, their hard work has paid off as they are now poised to win a national competition.
Three of their creative concepts have been shortlisted in the top ten of the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO’s) ‘Tax, Super and You’ competition.
There will be six winners, with prizes awarded to the following values:
- 2 x 1st prize awards – ($300 per entry plus $600 for their school);
- 3 x 2nd prize awards – ($150 per entry plus $300 for their school);
- and a people’s choice award – ($300 plus $600 for their school).
Currently, the Year 10 students are preparing to pitch their ideas to the highly credentialed judges, including the CEO of Leo Burnett Australia, Melinda Geertx.
During a video link Taylah Knight, Emily Wilkinson and Jasmine Klienman will need to relay the key messages illustrated in their unique entry. The trio have created a simple yet eye-cashing montage of words and pictures.
While Jordan Donohue and Cabe Barrett are keen to explain why their Tax Rap will capture the imagination of the target audience, and Brooke Merrick’s detailed animation is also sure to impress the judges.
Their teacher, Catherine McBurney, is immensely proud of their efforts.
“I had to coerce them into entering and push them think outside the square considering the dry nature of the subject matter but it has really paid off,” she explains.
“From the outset I told them if we are going to enter we had to do it properly.”
And, the students have certainly responded.
Jordan says they ended up spending quite a bit of time working on the collaboration and this included comprehensively researching exactly what our taxes pay for.
“Cabe wrote the lyrics but had some assistance from a popular software that helps with rhyming and I performed and mixed it,” he explains.
“We thought rap music would be the best way of appealing to young people and it would also get stuck in their heads, especially the chorus as it’s silly but catchy.”
Along the way Jordan has realised paying taxes is not such a negative thing as it allows the government to provide us with many valuable services.
There is also still time to vote for the students when it comes to the People’s Choice Award but hurry up it closes on November 19 Click here to vote.
