Melbourne’s much loved Skipping Girl Sign has been dramatically reimagined as a ‘Scrolling Girl’, in a new campaign by Dairy Farmers via The Royals aimed at tackling excessive screen time among children.
For nearly 90 years, the neon figure, Little Audrey, has symbolised youthful energy. But this week, the historic Abbotsford landmark has been temporarily switched off and replaced with a confronting modern take: a girl hunched over, endlessly scrolling on a phone.
The installation, created by neon artist Jack Pullen – whose family lineage traces back to the original sign – marks the centrepiece of a broader campaign designed to reignite physical activity among Australian kids.
Backed by new research into the effects of screen overuse, the initiative encourages families to rebalance screen time with outdoor play. At a grassroots level, it includes a nationwide partnership with TeamKids, which will roll out a 10-week skipping challenge across 270 schools, aiming to deliver 450,000 skipping sessions and distribute nearly 8,000 ropes.
Matt Gray, General Manager of Marketing and Innovation at Bega Group, said the campaign ties directly to the brand’s long-standing purpose.
“For more than 125 years, Dairy Farmers has been about nourishing growing bodies and active lives. This campaign is about raising awareness and offering positive, practical ways to help families bring more vitality and ‘oomph’ into everyday childhood,” he said.
Adding star power to the push, international skipping figure Lauren Jumps has arrived in Australia to promote the message, joining world champion rope jumper Luke Boon for a “skip-off” event alongside players from the Gold Coast Suns in Burleigh Heads later this week.
Child psychologist Michael Carr-Gregg described the shift from active to screen-based childhoods as deeply concerning.
“The fact that we’ve replaced a play-based childhood with a screen-based childhood has been a disaster for the psychological and physiological wellbeing of children,” he said. “I regard this project as one of the most important campaigns we’ve run in Australia for many years.”
For Steve O’Farrell, Founder and Managing Partner at The Royals, the campaign represents a rare opportunity for brands to drive meaningful change.
“When a problem of this magnitude challenges a brand’s core values, it presents an incredible opportunity to create real impact by sparking conversation and driving action,” he said. “Huge credit to the Dairy Farmers team for having the oomph to make it happen.”
By transforming one of Melbourne’s most recognisable symbols into a stark reflection of modern habits, the campaign aims to do more than raise awareness—it’s a call to get kids moving again.
CREDITS
Client: Dairy Farmers
Executive General Manager, Bega Group – Darryn Wallace
General Manager, Marketing and Innovation, Bega Group – Matt Gray
Marketing Manager, Flavoured Milk, Bega Group – Anjali De Silva
Assistant Brand Manager, Bega Group – Isabella Lucas
Senior Manager, Bega Group – PR & Social Media – Hannah Saliba
PR Manager, Bega Group – Caroline Roe
Social Media Lead, Bega Group – Jordanna Roth
Partner: Team Kids
Founding Director – Sam Hoath
Head of Marketing – Tash Aarons-Clark
Campaign & Communications Coordinator – Maree Vaynberg
Creative Agency: The Royals
Neon Artist: Jack Pullen
Sign Builders: Good Sign Co.
Installers: Peak Installations
