We are excited to have been nominated as finalists in the Western Sydney Awards for Business Excellence in the Arts and Culture category for our Breath of Fresh Air initiative.

I Choose Fresh Air is a smoking cessation social marketing campaign that draws on connection to country and culture as the driving force to create opportunities for change in Aboriginal communities around tobacco use. The project was designed by the local Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander community highlighting concepts of connection to country, spirituality and holistic wellbeing, through art and culture, drawing on positive messaging. Breath of Fresh Air draws on the links between mind, body, spirit and culture within Aboriginal culture and offers pathways of support for those looking to quit smoking.  The initiative also included a focus on encouraging potential smokers to choose fresh air instead through a youth social media campaign asking young people to post a photo and describe why they choose fresh air.

The project was developed alongside members of local Aboriginal communities who shared their personal stories related to smoking and guided the development and feedback process of our key campaign elements. We partnered with Aboriginal companies 33 Creative and Blacklock Media to develop campaign tools that focussed on culture and collective community engagement, through the use of storytelling and art-based visual messaging. 

We are thankful to have the support of our community ambassadors Tai Tuivusa, Tyran Liddiard, Krystal Mervin and Donna Jory, who have shared their own experiences with avoiding or quitting smoking in videos which were circulated as part of the campaign.

I Choose Fresh Air campaign is a reminder of what can be accomplished through community partnerships and is a key initiative in our ongoing journey towards Reconciliation and our commitment to improving the health of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

Watch our playlist below for the eight videos that made up our I Choose Fresh Air campaign