TDS Australia designed a comprehensive Instagram carousel campaign for the Environmental Music Prize (EMP) 2025, showcasing 30 finalist artists who merged their musical talents with environmental advocacy.
This large-scale social media project required creating 120 individual posts (4 slides per carousel × 30 artists) that balanced visual consistency with individual artist identity.
The Challenge
The Environmental Music Prize celebrates Australian musicians using their platform to raise awareness about climate and environmental issues. Feature high-profile Australian acts including Peter Garrett, King Stingray, Angus & Julia Stone, Ocean Alley, and Angie McMahon alongside emerging voices.
The campaign needed to:
- Honour each artist’s unique brand while maintaining cohesive EMP identity
- Present diverse musical genres—from indie folk to electronic to rock—under one visual system
- Engage Instagram audiences with swipeable content that told each artist’s environmental story
Design Approach
Visual System: a flexible carousel template that could adapt to 30 distinct artists while remaining instantly recognisable as part of the EMP 2025 campaign.
The four-slide structure was strategically designed to:
- Slide 1: Artist introduction with compelling imagery
- Slide 2: Environmental initiative or cause highlight
- Slide 3: Lyric from the song
- Slide 4: Music Video
Typography & Colour The design system incorporated earthy, sustainable colour palettes that reflected environmental themes while allowing for artist-specific accent colours. Typography choices balanced readability on mobile devices with artistic expression, crucial for Instagram’s platform.
Content Hierarchy With 120 total posts to design, establishing clear content hierarchy was essential. Each carousel needed to work as a standalone piece while contributing to the larger campaign narrative. Special attention was given to collaboration posts, such as Jack River’s partnership with the Australian Conservation Foundation.
Notable Artist Features
The finalist roster represented the breadth of Australian music:
- Legendary voices: Peter Garrett (Midnight Oil), Goanna
- Contemporary stars: King Stingray, Angus & Julia Stone, Ocean Alley, Angie McMahon
- Rising talent: Ruby Rodgers, DOBBY, Woodes, Belle Roscoe
- Electronic innovators: Anna Lunoe
- Community collaborations: Grace and Hugh with the Nymboida Bush Fire Survivors
Impact & Execution
This project demonstrated the power of systematic design thinking applied at scale.
By creating a robust visual framework, we enabled:
- Consistent brand recognition across 120 individual posts
- Efficient production workflow for a tight campaign timeline
- Flexible system accommodating diverse artist aesthetics
- Enhanced social media engagement through Instagram’s carousel format
Role & Deliverables
A comprehensive Instagram carousel campaign for the Environmental Music Prize (EMP) 2025, showcasing 30 finalist artists
- 120 Instagram posts (30 carousels × 4 slides)
- Custom design system and template development
- Asset preparation optimised for Instagram specificationn
- Final production and file delivery
This campaign exemplified how thoughtful design systems can honour individual artistry while building collective movement—perfectly mirroring the Environmental Music Prize’s mission of uniting Australian musicians for environmental action.
