The right to choice at the end of life – it’s hard to think of a more contested issue. Shape was engaged by Australia’s two leading advocacy organisations for the terminally ill, Go Gentle Australia and Dying with Dignity, to help find a way through one of Australia’s toughest debates. ​

In NSW and Victoria, Shape supported advocates to design and deliver campaigns that focused on the human stories behind the controversial slogans and headlines. Our goal was to build support for legislation enabling Voluntary Assisted Dying. In both cases, alienating those who held religious objections risked polarising the community and defeating the bill. ​

To foster constructive conversations that would lead to a more inclusive and compassionate approach to end-of-life decisions, Shape designed direct campaigns based on the real-life experiences of terminally ill people and their family members. Centring authentic stories and perspectives provided a deeper understanding of the complex emotions surrounding end-of-life decisions, generated empathy and common ground among diverse audiences, and conveyed a sense of urgency. These stories were shared in videos via various digital channels, newspaper and radio advertising, and a letter to politicians and community leaders, with a focus on strategically significant geographic and demographic groups. We achieved multiple hits across mainstream print and broadcast media, reaching millions of people. ​

In both NSW and Victoria, conservative opposition was overcome, and leadership was convinced to allow legislation to be voted on, implemented and retained. ​

The right to choice at the end of life – it’s hard to think of a more contested issue. Shape was engaged by Australia’s two leading advocacy organisations for the terminally ill, Go Gentle Australia and Dying with Dignity, to help find a way through one of Australia’s toughest debates. ​

In NSW and Victoria, Shape supported advocates to design and deliver campaigns that focused on the human stories behind the controversial slogans and headlines. Our goal was to build support for legislation enabling Voluntary Assisted Dying. In both cases, alienating those who held religious objections risked polarising the community and defeating the bill. ​

To foster constructive conversations that would lead to a more inclusive and compassionate approach to end-of-life decisions, Shape designed direct campaigns based on the real-life experiences of terminally ill people and their family members. Centring authentic stories and perspectives provided a deeper understanding of the complex emotions surrounding end-of-life decisions, generated empathy and common ground among diverse audiences, and conveyed a sense of urgency. These stories were shared in videos via various digital channels, newspaper and radio advertising, and a letter to politicians and community leaders, with a focus on strategically significant geographic and demographic groups. We achieved multiple hits across mainstream print and broadcast media, reaching millions of people. ​

In both NSW and Victoria, conservative opposition was overcome, and leadership was convinced to allow legislation to be voted on, implemented and retained. ​