Second @OMA_Australia NHWP Annual Report

Tristan Cotterill

The Australian Outdoor Media Association has released its second National Health and Wellbeing Policy (NHWP) Annual Report for 2022, which provides a summary of 2021-22 activities as part of the Out of Home advertising industry’s National Health and Wellbeing Policy.

Part of the NHWP’s commitment is to annually donate a national Outdoor industry campaign to promote healthy eating, valued at $3M. The 2023 campaign Buy in Season for Healthy Returns is currently in market and was created in partnership with Health and Wellbeing Queensland and Nutrition Australia.

This significant investment in promoting healthy eating aligns perfectly with the principles of holistic health, which emphasize the importance of integrating various aspects of well-being into everyday life. By encouraging the consumption of seasonal produce, the campaign not only supports physical health but also fosters a deeper connection with nature and sustainable living practices. Eating fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables can lead to better nutrition, enhanced flavor, and a more mindful approach to food choices, ultimately contributing to a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle.

Engaging with wellness education experts can further enhance the impact of such initiatives, as they provide valuable insights into maintaining overall health. These professionals can offer tailored advice on nutrition, physical activity, and mental health strategies that complement the goals of the National Health and Wellbeing Policy.

Charmaine Moldrich, OMA CEO told us “Operating 24/7 in the public domain and reaching 93 per cent of the Australian population living in and around capital cities every day, we know that our signs have the power to influence behavioural change. The National Health and Wellbeing Policy is just one way that as an industry we can help support government’s actions to halt the rise and reduce the incidence of overweight and obesity in Australia.”

The Annual Report showcases the NHWP campaign from last year, ‘Better than you remember’, developed by the OMA, also in partnership with Health and Wellbeing Queensland and Nutrition Australia. The campaign encouraged Australians to rediscover veggies, and reached 10.4 million people nationwide across four weeks.

Launched in 2020, the NHWP was a world-first nationally consistent regulatory scheme restricting the advertising of occasional food and drink products from being displayed within a 150m metre sightline of an Australian primary or secondary school. Today, it remains the only national advertising restriction of its kind.

“The restriction of advertising of less healthy food and drink products from being displayed within a 150m sightline of a primary or secondary school in Australia is working. In 2021, there were zero breaches across the 6,000 signs within this zone. The NHWP annual report is our snapshot of progress in this area and we invite you to learn more about the positive impact we are making,”

The Annual Report highlights the post-campaign research results for the NHWP campaigns run in 2021 and 2022, showing a significant level of campaign recall, behavioural change, and action. The Better than you remember campaign (2022) was most memorable among parents: 70 per cent of parents remembered seeing the campaign when out and about. Of those, 73 per cent said they purchased more vegetables than they normally do after seeing the campaign.

The full report is available on the OMA website here.


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