The Republic of Fremantle always intended to be a quintessential Freo venue—and in 2022, after only a year, the start-up distillery and restaurant was already a beloved local spot. The next step was to expand and begin the journey towards their global ambitions. For this, The Republic needed funding. So, we were called on to bring the story of their venue to the world, communicating to potential investors why they should contribute to this business’s growth. Our answer to this storytelling opportunity? A mini-documentary.

Concept generation began with breaking down the patterns of successful crowdfunding and product launch videos, so we could create a hero’s journey structure for the crowdfunding investment genre. The result became our template for the documentary’s script, ensuring it captured all the elements people care about when considering investing. We then went above and beyond by injecting emotion, style, and meaning into each section. And it became more than just a relaying of information. We created a compelling story that captured The Republic of Fremantle’s inspiring history, unique product range, and vision for the future.

It was a story that made you feel for the people at its heart, align yourself with their mission, and become invested in the story—before investing in the brand. And after six weeks of digital amplification by Glide Agency, the Birchal campaign secured $1.028 million in capital from 450 investors. 71% of these investors were from WA, proving that the film had generated a groundswell of local support for this grassroots start-up.