Berlin Builds Women's Confidence to Say 'No' to Alcohol During Pregnancy

The Mental Health Commission and Cancer Council WA have partnered with independent agency Berlin to build confidence in women’s ability to say ‘no’ to alcohol around pregnancy, as well as increasing awareness about its harms.

‘Amazing’ follows on from the successful Alcohol. Think Again ‘One Drink’ campaign, which resulted in more than four out of five WA women being less likely to drink alcohol during pregnancy.

Julia Stafford, alcohol program manager, Cancer Council WA, said, “While still clearly communicating that there’s no safe time or amount to drink during pregnancy because any alcohol a mother drinks passes directly to her baby, with this evolution of the campaign the aim was to shift to a strengths-based approach that balanced communicating the harm with building self-efficacy.”

‘Amazing’ is underpinned by a robust development process including ongoing testing with the target audience and collaboration with an Expert Reference Group made up of public health experts and lived experience advocates.

Rich Berney, managing partner and executive creative director, Berlin, said, “Humans are amazing, and pregnancy is one of those periods when our capacity for powerful transformation is on full display. This idea offers viewers a portrait of their deepest power: the jaw-dropping ability to create life. It is a bid to inspire people, and to use their ‘amazing’ capacity to also have an alcohol-free pregnancy."

The statewide, WA-based campaign will appear on television, outdoor advertising, social media, targeted digital partnerships and activation in health centres.

John Linton, managing partner and head of strategy, Berlin, said, “In response to research, across the year, we’ll also be extending the campaign into a content series with women who were recently pregnant and health professionals, going much deeper on the science behind the risk of harm and the strategies that can be used to make saying ‘no’ easier.”

More information is available at Alcohol. Think Again, including where to go if you are concerned and for tips to stay alcohol-free during pregnancy.