Healthy Harold redefines urgency in new Tax Appeal campaign via NATION + Donor Republic

Life Ed Australia, with the help of creative agency NATION and Donor Republic, has launched its 2026 Tax Appeal this week. The not-for-profit’s unique campaign redefines urgency, offering supporters the chance to change a child’s story by helping the iconic Healthy Harold reach them when it counts.

Says Scott Mosen, Head of Business Development at Life Ed Australia: “Just like the Life Ed program, the creative centres on a child. It demands attention through the emotive and innocent imagery, before establishing momentum by revealing a countdown to when this child will face a potentially life-changing event. The call-to-action is simple and speaks to a hero, or donor, that can make a difference before time runs out.

“The purpose is to highlight the important role of Life Ed in this increasingly complex and connected world. It also showcases how the charity has evolved over almost 50 years, by tackling the tough topics according to the changing needs of young people. ”

This comes following the release of the Federal Budget 2026-27, which featured Life Ed Australia as a recipient over one budget cycle. This is a vote of confidence in the program’s impact and highlights the important role Life Ed plays in developing education experiences that embed long-term behaviour change through a whole-of-community early education approach. However, this funding does not extend to state and territory affiliates who deliver the program. Life Ed Australia’s Tax Appeal focuses on helping our local teams reach more children in remote, regional and underserved communities.

Using the latest research and real experiences of young people, James’ story aims to highlight the importance of reaching children when it counts with preventative health education. James is an evidence-based representation of what too many Aussie kids face, with:

• Over 1 in 4 students in Year 4 to 9 (27%) report being bullied every few weeks or more often (Bullying No Way, 2024).
• 84% of students who were bullied online were also bullied in person (Bullying No Way, 2024).
• 53% of young Australians report experiencing cyberbullying (eSafety Commissioner, 2025).
• Reports of cyberbullying to the eSafety Commissioner increased by 455% between 2019 and 2024.

Says Mosen: “The earlier children begin to learn about complex issues, the more opportunities they will get to practice making positive choices. This is how Life Ed builds health literacy. It’s not just about gaining knowledge. It’s about long-term behaviour change. It is not something that happens overnight, or after one Life Ed visit. It is a commitment to educating children early, often and together as they grow into different stages of their lives.”

With two in three children across Australia missing out on Life Ed, the campaign raises funds for the Life Ed Thrive Children’s Fund. This Fund helps Healthy Harold reach more children in underserved communities, including low socio-economic metropolitan areas, regional towns and remote schools. This is where access and resources are limited. This is where the potential for impact is greatest.

Says Greg Knagge, CEO at NATION: “Our strategy identified a compelling tension about Life Ed and the positive program they deliver. Effective preventative education can only occur within a narrow window – between the time when young people are mature enough to discuss complex topics in a supported setting and when they face them for the first time in the real world.

“This urgency underpinned the creative message to donors: help Life Ed reach kids when it counts. Our ‘Time’s Ticking’ concept juxtaposed innocent imagery with a jarring headline and graphic device. Counting down to an impending threat, it was designed to evoke an emotive response and empower the donor to be the hero who intervenes.”

Life Ed Australia’s Tax Appeal will be driven on digital channels from 18 May, with outdoor advertising and earned media to support the campaign.

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