Australia’s media, marketing and advertising industry has put its collective power behind an important cause. More than 200 men from across the industry painted a nail blue at recent UnLtd Open events in support of Polished Man, an Australian movement run by non-profit ygap that is building a community of men against gendered violence.
B&T‘s Oliver Cerovic was part of the 200 men who have painted their nails.
The blue nail is a symbol inviting men to stand with women and children, and spark conversations about how to step in and prevent family, domestic and sexual violence.
At the heart of the campaign is a simple belief: every person deserves to feel safe and cared for. Yet the pressure to “man up” is costing men their mental health and putting the safety of women and children at risk. A recent study found one in three Australian men have admitted to using intimate partner violence.
Most campaigns stop at awareness. Polished Man moves men from awareness to action: reaching men through role models they already trust, then stepping those men up to become role models themselves, by sharing their own stories, shaping safer workplaces and driving prevention in their communities. The campaign has proven that change starts with a conversation.
“We’re seeing a generation of boys growing up with more hostile attitudes towards women and girls, with one in four teenage boys believing feminism should be resisted with violence. It can take as little as 15 minutes for radical manosphere content to hit boys’ feeds, even if they aren’t looking for it,” said Meenal Khare, CEO of Polished Man.
“Media decides who Australians see. Networks that gets behind this campaign help put trusted male role models like Dockers captain and Polished Man ambassador, Alex Pearce, in front of the next generation, showing them that it’s strong to care, and that standing with women is something to be proud of.
“We need more men to be part of that conversation, and we need the stories and role models boys see every day to reflect safe and caring relationships. That’s how we build communities free from violence.”
“Family violence is a critical focus for UnLtd because it can be the root cause of so many other challenges facing children and young people,” added Jade Harley, director of impact at UnLtd.
“If we want to create lasting change, we have to focus on prevention and address issues at their source. That’s where our industry can play a powerful role. Creativity, media and conversations can shift attitudes and culture, and it’s fantastic to see so many across our industry using their influence to help make that happen.”
Join the 2027 campaign.
Polished Man is inviting agencies, media owners and men across the advertising industry to join the 2027 campaign. To find out how your organisation can get involved and help build a community against gendered violence, visit Polished Man’s website.
