Alcohol. Think Again has launched a new public education campaign, via 303 MullenLowe Perth, to inform West Australians about the risks of alcohol-use during pregnancy to babies.
The campaign’s key message of “any amount a mother drinks, the baby drinks” challenges the inaccurate belief that a mother’s placenta protects a developing baby from alcohol.
“If a woman drinks alcohol during her pregnancy, the blood alcohol level of the baby is similar to that of the mother, with research showing that even small amounts of alcohol during pregnancy can be harmful,” Alcohol. Think Again said.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLRouQomdL0&feature=youtu.be
Richard Berney, executive creative director at 303 MullenLowe, said: “The research we were given to work with was very powerful, and we channelled it as simply as we could.
“Any amount a mother drinks, the baby drinks is a striking fact and deserved a striking demonstration.”
Tahnee McCausland, senior project officer at the Mental Health Commission, noted: “While our recent research found most women believe alcohol should not be consumed during pregnancy, it also highlighted the need for continued education.”
McCausland said 15 per cent of WA women still reported drinking alcohol during their last pregnancy and one in three were unsure how much alcohol was okay to drink during pregnancy.
The timing of the launch of the ‘One Drink’ campaign aligns with the National Health and Medical Research Council strengthening its advice relating to pregnancy in the Australian Guidelines to Reduce Health Risks from Drinking Alcohol. The Council now recommends that women who are pregnant and planning pregnancy should not drink alcohol.
According to Alcohol. Think Again, prenatal exposure to alcohol can damage the baby’s brain, resulting in severe and permanent physical, mental and behavioural disabilities, known as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD).
There is concern that as many as 2 per cent of all Australian babies may be born with some form of FASD.
The campaign’s media strategy is led by state-wide TV and supported by cinema, radio, out-of-home advertising, digital and social advertising, and paid search.
More information is available at www.alcoholthinkagain.com.au, including where to go if you are concerned and for tips to support pregnant women to stay alcohol-free.
Credits for the campaign are as follows:
Client:
Cancer Council Western Australia
Program manager: Julia Stafford
Policy and research coordinator: Danica Keric
Mental Health Commission
Manager, public education and health promotion: Hannah Samsa
Senior project officer, public education and health promotion: Tahnee McCausland
Agency:
303 MullenLowe Perth
Executive creative director: Richard Berney
Senior writer: Steve Straw
Art director: Steve Lorimer
Head of planning: John Linton
Business lead: Krista Song
Producer: Jonathan Julius
Production company:
Siamese
Director: Anthony Webb
Producer: Francesca Hope
Lead VFX: Andrew Buckley
DOP: Dave Le May
Sound:
Cue Sound
Audio engineer: Daniel Johnston
Photography:
Luke Carter-Wilton
Media agency:
Initiative Perth
Investment partnerships manager: Lauren De Rozario
Investment partnerships executive: Christine Foster
Featured image source: YouTube/alcoholthinkagain
