Change Direction – tackling the Aboriginal suicide crisis
Australia is facing a mental health crisis among its First Nations communities. With suicide rates twice as high among Aboriginal adults—and shockingly four times higher among children—this issue demands urgent attention. The Jilya Institute for Indigenous Mental Health is responding with a powerful, community-led solution: training an army of Indigenous psychologists to serve culturally appropriate care in the communities that need it most.
Change Direction is an awareness initiative, developed in partnership with the Jilya Institute, that offers a message of hope. It aims to spark national conversation, encourage allyship, and rally support for a future where healing is led by Indigenous voices.
Watch the short film below.
At the heart of the campaign is a short film directed by Cannes-winning filmmaker Warwick Thornton and brought to life by Aboriginal poet Dakota Feirer’s evocative palindrome—a structure that mirrors the narrative arc of despair turning into empowerment. The poem’s reversal acts as both a literal and symbolic framework: the first half captures generational trauma and loss; reading it backward reveals reconnection, cultural pride, and healing.
Launching nationwide ahead of National Reconciliation Week 2025, the campaign benefitted from an entirely pro bono media plan—spanning TV, streaming, print, cinema, out-of-home, and in-flight content across Qantas flights throughout June and July.
The film premiered at Hoyts Entertainment Quarter and was supported across top-tier platforms including Seven, Nine, Foxtel, ABC, SBS, and NITV—extending its reach through donated placements from major outdoor media partners and prominent newspapers.
Social amplification included endorsements from Adam Goodes, Cathy Freeman, Tim Minchin, and Zoe Foster Blake, adding cultural gravitas and emotional resonance.
Campaign Rollout
Myself and Ruben Savariego were responsible for translating the identity and art direction established for the short film by Mikaelee Miller and Jean-Paul Faint into a comprehensive national rollout. This involved adapting the campaign system across every media channel — from large-scale OOH and print to digital banners, press, and inflight content — ensuring the creative maintained impact and cohesion at every touchpoint.
Being part of a cultural project at this scale was a truly humbling experience, using design to help advance such an important cause. The out-of-home campaign alone delivered over $1 million in media value with more than 500 placements nationwide – amplifying a message that urgently needed to be seen and heard.
Credits
Campaign Identity
Agency: Apparent
Creative Director: Jackson Long
Design Director: Mikaelee Miller
Senior Designer: Jean-Paul Fainy
Campaign Rollout
Designer: Liam Burn
Designer: Ruben Savariego