OMA supports National Missing Persons Week with outdoor campaign
The Outdoor Media Association (OMA) has sponsored National Missing Persons Week for the twelfth year in New South Wales, donating out of home signs to profile missing Australians.
OMA CEO, Charmaine Moldrich, said the campaign had played a significant role in the outdoor industry giving back to the community.
“This is such an important campaign for the industry to back, because we can use the power of our channel’s reach to give back to the community. Over the last five years the industry has contributed close to $7m of advertising space donated by our members. This has resulted in increased public awareness and in some cases, it has helped identify missing persons,” she said.
“The immediacy and flexibility of our wide network of digital signs makes us perfectly positioned to broadcast community awareness messages and critical information like this. It is our intention in the coming year to broaden our partnership to include Amber Alerts which broadcast information about missing children. Out of Home’s ability to be always on is invaluable in getting messages like this out quickly to a large audience.”
The campaign kicked off on Sunday and it is the sixth year it will run nationally.
It will feature seven missing people:
- Brian Cairney – last seen in Salisbury, SA, 17 June 2010
- Danny Plain – last seen in Alice Springs, NT, 23 March 2020
- Eileen Stewart – last seen in Mt Nelson, TAS, 7 November 1958
- Laura Haworth – last seen in Queanbeyan, NSW, 5 January 2008
- Peter English – last seen in Tennant Creek, NT, 12 February 2019
- Simon Harrington – last seen in Coogee, WA, 10 January 2011
- Paul Wright – last seen in Camberwell, VIC, 30 September 2003
According to the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC), more than 2,600 Australians are listed as missing for three months or more. In one year, 38,000 missing persons reports are submitted and over 98% of those people are located.
The theme of this year’s campaign is ‘I’ll see you later’, coordinator of NMPCC Jodie McEwan, said.
“This year’s police campaign will centre on the theme of ‘I’ll see you later’, a phrase that sheds light on the fact that when a person goes missing, their loved ones are always searching. The campaign will also be focusing on each individual’s personal stories and removing the stigma that may exist surrounding the issue of missingness by humanising the people profiled. Whether they are an animal lover, footy fan, artist or musician, they all have one thing in common; they are missing,” she said.
This year, OMA members have donated ad space valued at over $1m.
McEwan said: “The impact of the Outdoor Media Association’s contribution is invaluable, and the NPCC values this important partnership. We look forward to continuing our work together to create awareness and reduce the incidence and impacts of missing person in Australia.”
topics
Charmaine Moldrich
Jodie McEwan
National Missing Persons Coordination Centre
National Missing Persons Week
Outdoor Media Association
