Bridging the Gap Foundation highlights Indigenous health gap in launch ad
A new charitable organisation has launched a hard-hitting campaign highlighting the health gap between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
The Bridging the Gap Foundation unveiled a 40-second television commercial to mark its official launch.
Created by independent agency KWP the, ad shows a camera panning towards a young white girl named Jen as a voiceover says she will be more likely to suffer from ill-health.
As the camera closes in on her face, the girl then appears to pull off a mask to reveal a young Aboriginal child underneath.
The voiceover then says: “Shocking isn’t it. Especially when you consider Jen is no different to you, me or any other Australian.”
“We are proud to announce this important foundation which will partner with health services and other organisations including sports clubs to improve outcomes and increase education and employment opportunities for Indigenous students,” said Richard Ryan AO, chairman, Bridging the Gap Foundation.
“We hope this powerful portrait will stop people, make them consider the circumstances and raise awareness of what the Foundation is trying to achieve”
“The lack of parity in health and opportunity between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians struck our team hard. We felt that this great shame needed to be exposed in the most powerful way for all Australians to understand the unacceptable nature of this problem.
“In choosing to directly compare the hope and innocence of two young girls, both full of potential, one’s future under threat, we could expose the truth of this undeniable stain on our society. We hope this powerful portrait will stop people, make them consider the circumstances and raise awareness of what the Foundation is trying to achieve,” added David O’Loughlin, partner and joint managing director of KWP.
