Australia’s advertising industry has taken to the water for youth mental health, with agencies, media companies and industry partners collectively raising more than $33,000 through a nationwide swimming challenge that also saw one participant auction off a tattoo to boost donations.
The initiative, part of the annual UnLtd campaign Splash the Stigma, brought together 33 swimmers from companies including oOh!media, UM, NOVA Entertainment, Special Group and UnLtd, who collectively swam more than 430 kilometres across pools, lakes and oceans around Australia.
Funds raised from the challenge will go toward supporting the work of batyr, the youth mental health organisation that delivers peer-led education programs aimed at helping young Australians build the confidence to seek help and support their friends.
The effort reflects a growing push within the marketing and media sector to rally behind social causes while also addressing mental health within the industry itself.
batyr’s Splash the Stigma campaign is designed to bring the industry together through physical activity and fundraising while breaking down stigma around mental health. The money raised will help the organisation expand its programs so more young people have access to education and support at a critical stage of life.
But while the kilometres logged in the water were significant, some participants took their fundraising to more unconventional lengths.
Grace Bertossi, Business Manager at oOh!media Brisbane, decided to push beyond the usual office fundraising tactics by auctioning off a tattoo — with the winning bidder given full control over the design.
Bertossi said she wanted to do something different from the typical workplace fundraisers.
“We’ve done sausage sizzles, raffles, bake-offs – even auctioned off favours like car park swaps. This time I thought… why not raise the stakes?” Bertossi said.
“I sent an email to the office: you donate, you decide my tattoo. When Emma Dixon’s winning bid came through I was equal parts excited and terrified — my brain immediately started imagining the worst. At one point someone suggested the Panthers logo, so you can understand the panic. Luckily Emma was kind and chose a tattoo of my dog… although the appointment hasn’t happened yet, so I’m staying very much on her good side.”
Across the challenge, swimmers committed to hitting personal distance goals, with the longest distance clocked by UnLtd’s National Partnerships Manager Emma Davis, who swam a total of 51 kilometres during the campaign.
For Davis, the cause carries a deeply personal meaning.
“Splashing the stigma of mental health means so much to me. Every year I swim for my kids and use it to open up that conversation — that’s the ultimate success for me,” Davis said.
“Seeing our industry come together, getting active and supporting this cause has been amazing for my own mental health, and knowing it’s raising funds for youth mental health makes it even more special.”
