Outdoor signs focus on missing people

Out of Home signs across Australia this week are highlighting and profiling missing people during what is National Missing Persons Week (NMPW), donating $1m worth of signage to the cause. 

The campaign is sponsored by the outdoor industry and will help raise awareness about the plight of missing persons and their families across Australia.

The 2020 campaign is the twelfth year the outdoor industry has sponsored NMPW in New South Wales, and the sixth year it has run nationally, in partnership with the Australian Federal Police. This makes NMPW the Outdoor Media Association’s longest running community collaboration to-date.

“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,” OMA CEO Charmaine Moldrich said.

Research commissioned by the National Missing Persons Coordination Centre (NMPCC) reveals that 2600 Australians are listed as missing for three months or more. In a one-year period, there are approximately 38,000 missing persons reports submitted to police. Some 98 per cent of these people are located. The focus of the NMPCC is on the 2 per cent of people who are still missing.

“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 a musician, they all have one thing in common; they are missing,” said Jodie McEwan, Coordinator NMPCC.

This year, OMA members have generously donated a campaign valued at more than $1m. Participating OMA members include: Bishopp Outdoor Advertising, goa, JCDecaux, oOh!media, Outdoor Systems, Paradise Outdoor Advertising, and QMS Media.

This year the Outdoor campaign 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

“The impact of the Outdoor Media Association’s contribution is invaluable, and the NMPCC values this important partnership. We look forward to continuing our work together to create awareness and reduce the incidence and impacts of missing persons in Australia,” Jodie McEwan said.