On Father’s Day 2016, Mahlab launched the content hub - Direct Advice for Dads (DAD) - for their client HBF Health, featuring content created by dads for dads and aiming to provide practical information. The project includes different channels and formats including a popular Facebook page and a video series, which attracted over 474k views. As a result of publishing weekly content, the project has developed a 48k-strong Facebook audience and a site visitation of more than 824k sessions. Dads from all around Australia are joining conversations with other dads about approaches to take and what works for them as expecting and new parents. A great example of the purest form of content marketing, Direct Advice for Dads is creating an audience for HBF with exceptional engagement results.

2. Becoming a
resource for the
world’s biggest
‘niche’ audience

3. “PLANNING”
From research to strategy

4. Who are HBF?
Western Australia’s oldest
and largest health fund
75 years
Not-for-profit
1 million members
4th largest nationally
Making healthy
happen

5. w
The brief
Use content marketing to
build a national audience
of young families

6. The issue
Starting a family is a trigger for buying and
using health insurance, but maternity is
highly cluttered…

7. The gap
Dads are searching for info about pregnancy and
parenting online, but finding little that speaks to
them.

8. CREATIVE SLIDE
HBF could build a national audience of
young families by creating content
targeted at dads.
We’d also catch the attention of mums,
keen for a ‘sticky beak’ and delighted
to see dads ‘doing their homework’.
The opportunity

9. “PREGNANCY”
Bringing the idea to life

10. Finding the right partner
AN AGENCY THAT:
Operates as an extension of HBF’s team
Works with us, not for us, to bring the idea to life
Is just as passionate about this project as we are,
and will pour their hearts and souls into it.
After extensively researching more than 30 agencies
across Australia, we found our unicorn:
Agency Elimination Funnel:
Does the agency use content marketing to
promote their own business?
Does the agency do (real) content
marketing for their clients?
Is it good/working?

11. Conducting market
research (extensive
interviews and focus
groups with new,
expecting and
planning fathers).
Defining personas. Identifying content
themes, topics, style
and tone that would
resonate with the
audience.
Developing the DAD
brand identity.
Building a content
plan and creating a
pool of high-calibre
DAD writers.
Research Personas Audience Brand
Plan and
Create+ + +
From a conceptual idea to a brand
+

12. SebPLANNING
AGE: 30
OCCUPATION:
PARTNER & SALES
CONSULTANT
STATUS: MARRIED
LOCATION: SYDNEY
“I’ll be doing
what I’m told.”
GOALS
• To start a family with his wife and to
start soon, as there is never really
a right time.
• He is ready to make the sacrifices
necessary.
• He aims to be there for whatever
his wife needs.
FRUSTRATIONS
• Has no idea where to start looking
for advice.
• He wants to upscale the family
home but finances are a problem.
• Feels people can over-prepare
which leads to over stress.
• Concerned about the lack of sleep
and stress levels.
BIO
Seb is a partner and sales consultant at the local OPSM in Sydney. He and his new
wife are planning to have at least three children. Seb wants to get started now but
his partner is concerned about their finances and whether they will be able to move
into a bigger home in time. It may require leaving Sydney. He is really laidback in his
approach, he doesn’t do much research and takes the lead from his wife. Seb doesn’t
know about the 12-month wait for health insurance or that he may be entitled to
government benefits. If he did, it is definitely something he would look into.
MOTIVATIONS DAD TYPE
FAMILY
TIMING
LIFESTYLE
FINANCES
ADVICE
HEALTH
SUPPORT
Proactive Reactive
Practical support Full support
Relaxed Stressed
Debt-star High achiever

14. Content mix
OUR CONTENT PILLARS: Planning, Expecting
and New Dads
TOPICS: Birth, Parenting, Health and Finance.
No subject has been off limits
ARTICLES: Genuine content, created by dads, for dads,
from the insanely useful to the deeply personal
HOW-TO VIDEOS: Using humour and sport to educate

16. “THE BIRTH”
Introducing DAD to the world

17. The launch
September 4th 2016 (Father’s Day)
Posted personalised cards to over 3000
HBF members
Secured local media coverage (WA)
This sent a soft surge of traffic to the site
that we could test and learn against.
directadvicefordads.com.au
For dads, by dads.
COME AND CELEBRATE WITH US
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
[NAME]

18. Our articles tackled an array of topics to
‘test and learn’ what resonates

19. The hilarious realities of fatherhood

20. The harsh realities of pregnancy and birth

21. The pressure placed on relationships

22. Nailing the ‘educate and entertain’ brief

23. We trialled a video series that used
humour to educate new dads (and
mums) on common parenting tasks

24. The nappy change

25. The ‘Summer Scrum’

26. Packing a day bag

27. Our content is resonating and
fuelling emotionally charged
connections

28. From the heart warming

29. To the heart breaking

30. On topics aligned to our core services

31. Dads are letting us into their lives

32. Engaging in the content with their partners

33. Recommending the site to their mates

34. And reaching out to us with REAL problems

35. We are filling the gap for Aussie fathers

36. Building a loyal and engaged community

37. YEAR ONE RESULTS

38. Year 1: Results against targets
150,000
20,000
431,900
48,000

39. OUR MISSION
Become the number one
resource for new and expecting
dads in Australia

40. Year 1: Mission accomplished
Leading resource for new and expecting dads
in Australia.
DAD attracts and engages a national
audience of young families.
We’ve grown a loyal community of members
and prospective customers.
All engagement metrics indicate that the
content is resonating with the audience.

41. Media coverage
The DAD brand got in front of hundreds of thousands of new people
across the world through the media coverage we achieved in top-tier
Australian and UK media publications.

42. AWARDS

43. Awards
Agency/Client Content Marketing
Partnership award
Best Overall Editorial – Digital
Content Marketing Launch
of the Year
Best Content-Driven Website

44. Awards
Project of the Year (to be announced in
September)
Best Content Marketing Program in
Healthcare – DAD, HBF

45. Awards
FINALIST
Content Marketing
Strategy of the Year

46. Awards
FINALIST
Content Marketing
Strategy of the Year