New campaign from Naati and SBS highlights how ‘we all deserve to be understood’
NAATI has launched a new TV campaign titled ‘We All Deserve to Be Understood’, developed in partnership with SBS CulturalConnect, to emphasise the importance of certified interpreters in critical conversations. The campaign aims to reposition NAATI certification as essential for effective communication in multicultural Australia.
The announcement:
A new TV campaign by NAATI, the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters, is seeking to champion the power of being understood in a new brand campaign, “We All Deserve to Be Understood”.
The campaign was developed in partnership with SBS CulturalConnect and SBS In Language Services to help reposition NAATI certification from purely an administrative credential into something far more human — a safeguard for life’s most critical conversations.
The new ad highlights the important everyday conversations where NAATI representatives are often involved – from hospital consultations to classrooms and community services. The work brings emotional weight to moments where accuracy, confidentiality and professionalism are non-negotiable.
Built in close collaboration, SBS CulturalConnect and the SBS In-Language team led the end-to-end strategy, creative and production — embedding language selection, audience targeting and cultural nuance into the idea from day one. The result is a campaign engineered to reach communities who speak limited or no English, alongside carers and frontline professionals, in the environments they trust.
Lee Yacoumis, Strategic Engagement Manager at NAATI, said the campaign reflects a stronger focus on the public value of certification.
“This campaign is about strengthening awareness of why NAATI-certified interpreters are an essential part of the healthcare team, not optional. We wanted to ensure organisations and individuals actively seek certified practitioners in high-stakes situations,” said Yacoumis.
“This campaign marks a turning point in how we articulate the purpose and public value of NAATI certification.”
Delivered across 12 languages, the campaign runs across SBS television, radio and digital, supported by a targeted out-of-home rollout and dedicated community resources on NAATI’s website.
“By developing the strategy, creative and media together, we delivered a campaign that was both beautifully executed and reached the audiences it was designed for. For diverse communities, cultural nuance isn’t an add-on — it’s where effective communication begins,” said Nadia Bekarian, National Manager SBS In Language Services.
The campaign demonstrates how culturally intelligent strategy and fully integrated media can move beyond awareness to drive meaningful public impact in multicultural Australia.
Commenting on the strategy underlying the campaign Angus Gordon Head of Creative at SBS CulturalConnect said: “We avoided dramatics and instead focused on quiet, authentic moments that will resonate with the target audiences. When the work feels honest, the message lands with far more power.”
Campaign Credits
Client: NAATI
Strategic Engagement Manager: Lee Yacoumis
Marketing and Communications Officer: Trang Do
Digital Communications Officer: Martha Arifin
Creative & Production Company: CulturalConnect, SBS Media
Writer: Angus Gordon
Director: Angus Gordon
Director of Photography: Gregoire Liere
Executive Producer: Natalie Herenda
Producer: Clancy Hiscox
Line Producer: Rachel Lane
Editor: Desmond Hoo
Note to Editors to download or embed the ad please click here.
For further information and interview requests please contact:
Nic Christensen | nic.christensen@sbs.com.au | 0404 460 607
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