NAIDOC Week is Over, Now What?
Going North shares their journey and offers guidance for brands looking to tell First Nations stories.
NAIDOC Week is an important time for the nation to recognise and celebrate Indigenous Australian cultures. This year’s theme, "Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud," is an unapologetic celebration of Indigenous identity – a spotlight Going North shines year-round.
Going North, one of four Bolster Group agencies, is an Indigenous owned, Darwin-based creative team dedicated to bringing fresh ideas to the NT and sharing untold Territory stories with the world. Co-founders Nina Fitzgerald and Shaun Edwards, along with Agency Lead Jack Ryan, sat down to tell their story and offer guidance for brands looking to meaningfully engage with First Nations communities during NAIDOC Week and beyond.
NAIDOC Week’s Role
For Nina Fitzgerald, one of Going North's three founders and the force behind Darwin’s Laundry Gallery, NAIDOC Week holds deep significance. Her family hails from Kakadu, the Torres Strait Islands, and the Wuthathi people of Shelbourne Bay in Far North Queensland. “NAIDOC Week is built on a long history of fighting for change in Australia,” Nina shares. In 2024, she says NAIDOC is all about “bringing Australians along for the ride.”
For Shaun Edwards, Going North Co-Founder and owner of social enterprise clothing brand House of Darwin, NAIDOC Week holds a similarly important place. “NAIDOC Week is really special, especially with my Indigenous heritage and growing up here on Larrakia Country, which is my mother's country,” he says. “NAIDOC Week highlights Indigenous cultures, not only for Indigenous people but for everyone else. It's really just an opportunity to learn.”
Marking this significant week, both personally and culturally, the Going North team commissioned Yolngu Balanggarra artist Molly Hunt—whom they worked with closely on YouTube's recent ‘Our Makeup’ campaign—to develop educational carousels. These posts were part of a week of content designed to highlight recent Going North work and the spirit of NAIDOC that the team is passionate about amplifying.
“It's just a great week for everyone to get together and learn about the beautiful cultures that we are home to,” Nina explains.
Launching Going North
Celebrating First Nation stories is central to Going North. “I helped start Going North to project the amazing stories that happen here outward, particularly those of the First Nations communities I have been privileged to grow up in and travel to throughout my life,” Nina explains.
Hearing the passion Nina and Shaun share for the NT, it’s easy to see how the agency’s genesis was so quick. “I met Jimmy [James Clarke, Bolster Group’s CEO] through a schoolmate of mine, Hugo Dean [Bolster’s former Head of Content]. Nina, Jimmy, and I went out for dinner, and that same night we decided to launch Going North,” Shaun shares. “That pace is what Going North is about. It's been a very exciting and enjoyable ride,” Shaun adds.
Connection to Place
Pride for the Territory is clear in everything Going North does. “There's no place like it in the world. There's no place as wild or as wacky,” Nina shares. “It's a place you have to see to believe. The people are unique. The places are unique. The amazing colours change between seasons. And it's so raw. You just can't find it anywhere else.”
While this is Jack’s adopted home, he’s equally drawn to the unique character of the NT. “There’s still a bit of freewheeling adventure that permeates through everything in the Territory. Being able to experience all of that in the name of work is pretty amazing,” Jack shares.
Going North’s Work
The Going North team values the balance they strike between local projects and global brands. “I'm really proud that Going North is an agency that puts the same time, energy, and work ethic into all the jobs we take on, from community-level branding jobs in the Northern Territory to global brands,” Nina says.
This balance of big names and local focus drives the team, and it’s a direction they’re keen to maintain for the agency's future. “We've done a really good job of bringing global brands to the Territory, but I think the next stage for us is to highlight and take Territory brands outside of the Territory,” Shaun says.
This growth and evolution has not gone unnoticed, with the agency nominated for Emerging Agency of the Year at the upcoming Mumbrella Awards. “Going North is in a really exciting place. We're ready to shed the image of a scrappy upstart and prove we’ve matured, while maintaining that classic sense of fun we've brought to all our work so far,” Jack notes.
“If we can nail that and take fellow Territorians along for the ride, that's what success looks like to me,” Shaun adds.
Tips for Brands
For brands looking to work with First Nations groups, whether it’s during NAIDOC Week or any other time, the team offers three key tips:
Spend the time:
Ensure you have a long lead time. Don’t dip in and out.
The Going North team highlighted that their recent YouTube campaign ‘Our Makeup’ took over 6 months to develop, with Google’s team ensuring they put in the time to meaningfully share these stories. “To support our communities and peoples, it's important not to be a flash in the pan or tokenistic but to commit to long-term engagement,” Nina emphasises.
Talk to people:
Engage in conversations with community groups.
"The best thing organisations can do is listen and learn,” Nina emphasises. She points to the collaborative effort the team undertook with Power and Water last year to plan remote community water messaging. These interviews and the resulting strategy ensured that messaging was developed with local communities rather than for them. “First Nations Australia is not one homogenous group, but many diverse and different nations. So it's really important that brands and the broader creative community take that first step in just listening, getting to know people, and engaging authentically.”
Show up year-round:
Don’t limit First Nations-led stories to NAIDOC Week.
The team points to their work this year with the Parramatta Eels, and to Nike’s ‘Dream Future’ project as key examples. Both brands put in effort to maintain a consistent connection to First Nations cultures, pre and post campaign. “If Australia can commit to working with us with longevity, we will see really positive outcomes for the country as a whole. The key to authentically engaging with First Nations communities and cultures is consistency,” Nina concludes.
To keep up with Going North's work, follow them on Instagram or sign up for their soon-to-be-launched newsletter.
To learn how your brand can support First Nations stories, just say g'day: gday@goingnorth.agency
Brilliant read and great insights ❤️