Museum of Australian Democracy launches national campaign via ICON to fight fake news

Independent creative agency ICON, has teamed up with the Museum of Australian Democracy (MoAD) to launch Question of the Day, a creative public education effort encouraging people to think critically about the information they see, hear, and share, aimed at helping Australians build everyday resilience against misinformation and disinformation.

At the heart of the campaign is a set of Democracy Cards, each posing a curiosity-sparking question like “Is false info always a bad thing?” or “What’s the wildest thing you heard on social media that turned out to be false?”

Shared across MoAD’s digital and social channels, these questions are designed to prompt reflection, encourage open dialogue, and embed critical thinking into Australians’ everyday media consumption habits.

The initiative is timed for relevance, with content tailored to coincide with politically and socially charged moments throughout the year, including the recent Federal election, with content during this period reaching over 1,000,000+ Australians on social media.

Importantly, the campaign rejects judgement and affiliation with any particular political party, in favour of empathy – encouraging Australians to see democracy not as a given, but as something learned, practised, and shared. Because a more informed electorate creates a stronger democracy.

“This isn’t about pointing fingers, it’s about creating space for curiosity and connection,” said Georgina Rees, Executive Director; Creative and Campaigns at ICON. “The cards are designed to welcome all Australians into the conversation – no background in politics required.”

The campaign features social video vox pops with everyday Aussies answering a range of the simple, bipartisan Questions of the Day. The questions are designed so anyone can respond, no matter their background or beliefs.

“Visually, the cards use a vivid colour palette, print-inspired textures and graphic fragments with mismatched question marks, to reflect the diverse voices of Australia,” said Ken Parris III, Creative Director at ICON. “With so much noise online, we didn’t want to tell people what to think, we wanted to give them a tool that inspires them to think for themselves and question everything.”

Alex Wadelton, Creative Director at ICON, added: “We stumbled upon one of Australia’s most influential political commentators Konrad Benjamin, aka Punters Politics, while asking people some Questions Of The Day. He loved the whole idea, and spent a good 30 minutes geeking out with us. That kind of enthusiasm tells us we’re onto something that matters… and that’s exactly what we’re counting on as we develop these cards into a product that sparks real conversations in the future.”

Question of the Day is an extension of MoAD’s mission to enable people to actively participate in their democracy, by providing tools to navigate the increasingly complex information ecosystem. By embedding small reflective moments into people’s social feeds, MoAD is helping individuals build the skills to spot and question misleading information, a practice that is essential to the health of democratic societies.

“Democracy isn’t just about elections, it’s how we listen, question, and interact with each other every day,” said Anna O’Leary, MoAD Head of Digital. “This campaign encourages people to be active, thoughtful participants in that process.”

In a time of increasingly polarised discourse, Question of the Day highlights that democracy is not just about casting a vote, it’s about how we engage, question, and connect in everyday life.

The campaign is live now across MoAD’s digital platforms and is set to roll out in bursts throughout 2025, anchored around key civic and cultural moments.

Icon Agency
Harriet Wildman – Group Account Director
Sam Cairns – Head of Production
Kenneth E. Parris III – Creative Director
Alex Wadelton – Creative Director
Marc Hoyler – Senior Designer
Murdoch Haigh – Junior Designer
Ruby Hamer – Production Assistant

Production
Isaac Brooks – Video Production
Oscar Gomez – Animation

Museum Of Australian Democracy At Old Parliament House
Anna O’Leary – Head of Digital

Want to leave a comment? Share your thoughts below, making sure to include your full name and email address. If you have a news tip or story idea, please feel free to email ricki@campaignbrief.com.