When I joined FARE as Health Programs Director, the Every Moment Matters campaign promoting alcohol-free pregnancies was already well-established.
And now, after almost five years, it continues to be trusted by audiences and supported by a growing evidence base showing it’s improving awareness, confidence and behaviours related to alcohol-free pregnancies.
But even the strongest campaigns need to evolve if they are to continue making an impact.
Every day, new audiences are discovering Every Moment Matters as they start to plan a pregnancy, support a loved one, or think about parenthood for the first time. We wanted to make sure the campaign remained relevant while staying true to what people already knew and trusted.
As we looked to the future, research and community feedback reinforced something quite simple: feeling supported matters. Whether it’s a partner, family member or friend, the people around us can help shape our experiences and decisions in powerful ways.
That insight became the foundation for this next chapter and a simple message: we all have a part to play in supporting alcohol-free pregnancies.
We approached this new chapter with great care. The focus was always on being supportive rather than judgemental, and on recognising the positive role people can play in one another’s lives.
Authenticity was incredibly important. Working alongside our creative and production partners, we put real people and real relationships at the centre of the campaign. Many of the people featured have genuine relationships with one another, and I’m so grateful to those who were involved and so proud that we were able to capture that warmth and sense of connection on screen.
Behind the creative approach was a thoughtful process involving our steering committee, researchers, health professionals, community representatives and people with lived experience. The FARE team listened carefully to feedback throughout, constantly refining the work to ensure it balanced clear health messaging with compassion and understanding.
When you’re communicating a public health message in just 15 or 30 seconds, every word and every image matters. It is difficult to communicate nuance in this message while still cutting through. And who knew colour grading was such a critical part of the process!
One of the reasons this campaign continues to matter is that alcohol use before people realise they are pregnant remains a common experience across the Australian population. It’s not confined to one community, one demographic or one set of circumstances. That’s why broad, evidence-based campaigns like Every Moment Matters have an important role to play.
At the same time, we know there is no one-size-fits-all approach. To achieve meaningful impact, Every Moment Matters is complemented by a range of tailored initiatives and resources. This includes support for health professionals, giving them the confidence to have informed conversations; Strong Born led by NACCHO and developed with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities; along with targeted education and awareness activities delivered by NOFASD Australia for priority groups. Together, these efforts help ensure people can access information and support that is relevant to their circumstances and communities, while reinforcing consistent messages about alcohol-free pregnancy.
I’m incredibly proud of the care and commitment the FARE team brought to this work. From listening to community feedback and working closely with our steering committee, to collaborating with the creative and production teams, everyone shared a genuine commitment to creating something that was evidence-based, thoughtful and respectful. It’s so exciting to see this new chapter of Every Moment Matters out in the world – on socials, streaming services, TV, radio, even on bus shelters! It is our hope that it helps build a culture of support around alcohol-free pregnancies, generates conversations, and that it gives people the information, confidence and understanding they need to make informed decisions and support the people they care about.
Kristie Cocotis is the Health Programs Director at FARE.
