NSW Government
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Branding a behaviour shift for cleaner vehicle choices

As part of the NSW Government’s Net Zero Strategy, a new initiative was designed to help car-buyers make environmentally conscious choices: the Vehicle Emissions Star Rating. Focus Creative (via Future Focus) won a competitive pitch to build a brand for the program that would resonate with a broad cross-section of Australians, from everyday drivers to fleet operators, and support long-term behaviour change.
- Audience study & personas
- Visual & brand identity
- Creative testing
- Stakeholder engagement & management
We began with a national discovery phase, conducting interviews with stakeholders across state and territory governments and other partner organisations. Using segmentation personas, we crafted a custom research methodology: a quantitative survey to test brand concepts at scale through the lens of environmental attitudes, followed by qualitative interviews to deepen our understanding. The insights helped us shape a visual identity that was clean, trustworthy and inclusive – and avoided the polarising tone that often surrounds sustainability messaging. A full suite of brand assets and a detailed style guide were developed to prepare the program for a national launch.
The final brand direction is grounded in real consumer sentiment and stakeholder alignment, giving the program a strong, insight-led foundation for future adoption. With messaging tailored to different user types and a versatile design system in place, the Vehicle Emissions Star Rating is driving uptake and shifting perception in a critical transition moment for transport.