Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI) has taken out the Australian Marketing Institute’s prestigious national Experiential and Event Marketing Award category at the 2026 Marketing Excellence Awards.
For HMRI, Australia’s largest regional medical research institute and a Hunter icon for over 25 years, the Poo Palace is proof that sometimes the best way to reach people is with a bit of fun.
Over 3,000 kids have passed through the Poo Palace, from mouth to buttocks, across more than 100 sessions in the three years since it was created by HMRI and the University of Newcastle’s Gastrointestinal Research Group.
The results speak for themselves, with a 2.67x return on investment in community education value for every $1 invested by HMRI. Since 2023, the Poo Palace has also garnered a lot of media attention and social media engagement, contributing to a 4% increase in brand awareness.
There is a reason the Poo Palace starts with something children already find funny. Poo gets their attention and once they are inside the giant inflatable digestive system, there is an opportunity to meet HMRI’s ‘Poo Professors’ and turn that laughter into curiosity.
Despite telling us a lot about our health, poo can be a taboo subject, particularly when it comes to talking with adults. Around 60% of Australians feel uncomfortable discussing gut health with friends or colleagues. But the Poo Palace gives kids a fun, age-appropriate way to learn about their bodies and start conversations that could help families recognise gastrointestinal problems earlier and seek medical advice early.
It is a deliberately playful experience, but there is serious science behind it.
Gut health plays a huge role in our overall wellbeing, from immune function through to mental health and HMRI’s team of world-class gastrointestinal researchers are working to understand exactly how the gut microbiome influences that.
The Poo Palace has travelled across the Hunter New England and is especially important to children in regional and socio-economically disadvantaged communities, which have limited access to hands-on STEM experiences.
Director of HMRI’s Immune Health Research Program, Professor Simon Keely from the University of Newcastle said, “We knew we had something that would reach kids, but we never dreamt it would be this popular.”
The field of finalists from across the country at this year’s Marketing Excellence Awards was highly competitive and included iconic national events like Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight 2025. The Poo Palace’s award win highlights the Hunter region’s leadership in brand innovation and the success of HMRI’s community engagement initiatives.
HMRI’s Head of Marketing and Communications, Mike Collins said, “Behind this award are so many HMRI and University of Newcastle team members who have thrown themselves into making the Poo Palace a success”
“It shows that science doesn’t have to be serious to be meaningful. If we can make research fun, accessible and memorable for local kids and parents, then we’re doing something right. We’re incredibly proud of what it has become.”
You can help bring science to more kids. Support the Poo Palace and the researchers behind it by donating to HMRI today.
