AT A GLANCE

Campaign // All Four

Media Items // 659

Audience Impressions // 32, 300, 000

Highlights // Channel 10 News First Sydney, Channel 7 Townsville, Channel 10 National Lunchtime, Australian Community Media, 9Honey, NTnews.com.au, ABC Radio Melbourne, ABC Far North Queensland

THE OBJECTIVES

After being awarded a grant through our Pro Bono for Purpose initiative, MediaCast worked with Fortem Australia to deliver the 2025 Thank a First Responder Day campaign.

The key objectives for this campaign were to build awareness of the mental health challenges faced by first responders and to raise funds for Fortem Australia, to continue the delivery of mental health and wellbeing programs for first responders and their families.

Our strategy to achieve these objectives were to secure national coverage to create as wide an impact as possible, targeting all key capital city audiences via metro and major market publications, television outlets and radio stations.

THE CAMPAIGN

The campaign leveraged expert spokespeople and ambassadors, as well as utilising the media appeal of multiple national events being run by Fortem Australia.

Television coverage was particularly impactful, with national and regional news programs featuring on-site event segments, interviews, and feature stories that brought the campaign to life on screen. Notably, Channel 10 News First Sydney attended the Big BBQ event, resulting in three syndications across the network.

Radio outreach spanned major commercial and community stations, delivering high-frequency exposure through interviews, talkback discussions, and news bulletins.

Print and digital media engagement extended across metropolitan and regional mastheads, lifestyle pages, and community outlets, reinforcing the campaign’s key messages through trusted local voices.

A standout highlight was the opinion editorial by ambassador Mark Meredith, published through Australian Community Media, which syndicated 73 times nationally. This emotive piece shared Mark’s personal experience as a first responder and advocate for mental health, resonating deeply with readers while shining a light on the importance of mental wellbeing among Australia’s frontline workers.

THE RESULTS

The campaign achieved outstanding national reach, generating extensive coverage across all major media channels with 43 television, 501 radio, 11 print, and 104 online features.

This strong visibility was complemented by widespread community engagement, with 62 TAFRD events hosted by Fortem and 360 schools, libraries, councils, and businesses registering to take part. Fortem’s social and digital channels also generated significant traction, reaching approximately 450,000 impressions and reinforcing the campaign’s key messages.

Overall, the initiative delivered powerful storytelling and meaningful engagement that placed first responder mental health and wellbeing firmly in the national spotlight, strengthening awareness of Fortem Australia’s vital programs and inspiring continued support for their ongoing impact.