Unstereotype Alliance Australia launches ‘Who’s Missing?’ campaign via VML and Mindshare

Unstereotype Alliance Australia, convened by UN Women, today finalised the launch of its inaugural national campaign Who’s Missing? at MFA Ex in Sydney. The campaign calls on the advertising, media and marketing industry to embed inclusive thinking at the start of every campaign by asking one powerful question: Who’s Missing?

Who’s Missing? urges brands and agencies to make inclusion a core part of their processes. The campaign was created by VML and Mindshare – part of the WPP network – a founding organisation of Unstereotype Alliance Australia. The campaign is backed by both Unstereotype Alliance’s ‘Inclusion = Income’ report, proving unequivocally that inclusive advertising drives stronger brand outcomes, and their national research revealing that many Australians still feel absent or stereotyped in media.

The launch at MFA Ex Sydney followed a Melbourne launch early in the month. It included a mainstage presentation featuring Sam Turley, Invention Lead, Mindshare, anchored by a powerful lived-experience moment from Sara Shams, Founder of Ethnobility. Drawing on her own experiences of exclusion working in and alongside the industry, Sara grounded the campaign in reality, reminding attendees why representation must be intentional and inclusive from the very start.

The session concluded with a call to action for the industry to adopt the campaign and use the Who’s Missing? Toolkit. Unstereotype Alliance Australia invites industry colleagues to:

• Adopt the Who’s Missing? question in creative, media and strategy briefs,
• Share posters and resources across offices and teams (using the Who’s Missing? Toolkit)
• Amplify the message through LinkedIn using #WhosMissing, and
• Join the Unstereotype Alliance to be part of the collective driving change.

Says Sam Turley, Invention Lead, Mindshare: “The greatest movements didn’t start with answers, they started with questions. Who’s Missing? is designed to be that question for our industry. It gives every person, no matter their role, permission to ask it at any stage of any process ultimately driving more inclusive, authentic work.”

Says Sara Shams, Award-Winning Disability Rights & Diversity Consultant, Ethnobility:  “I know firsthand what it means to be excluded. Who’s Missing? is a campaign that doesn’t just highlight the gaps – it gives us all a way to close them. By centring lived experience, and considering inclusion in the full 360° marketing process, the industry has the chance to move from tokenism to true representation.”

Says Sarah Bailey, Managing Director, VML: “In creating the visual identity for Who’s Missing? our designer Mel Radman and her team focused on simplicity and scalability – making sure the creative was easy for members to adopt, use, and share across the industry. We’re proud to have played a role in supporting this important campaign, and to help give the question a clear and memorable presence.”

Says Rose Herceg, President, WPP Australia & New Zealand: “As a founding member of the Unstereotype Alliance, we see Who’s Missing? as a simple but powerful tool to ensure we’re delivering work that reflects the real Australia and that makes good business sense.”

Says Annie Konieczny, Lead, Unstereotype Alliance Australia (UN Women): “This campaign is intentionally lo-fi and collaborative, because inclusion shouldn’t be complex or resource heavy. Instead, it should be embedded in the way we work every day. We’re calling on every member of our industry to adopt this question, share it widely, and be part of the solution.”

Says Priya Addams Williams, Shift 20 Initiative Lead, Dylan Alcott Foundation (Melbourne launch Ambassador): “Who’s Missing? is more than a campaign, it’s a cultural shift. By asking this question early and often, we make space for underrepresented voices and ensure inclusion is built into the DNA of every campaign. At Shift 20, we know that representation isn’t just good for people, it’s good for business, and this initiative gives our industry a clear and actionable way forward.”

Says Michelle Gazzola, Porfolio Director, Mars Wrigley, Australia: “As a brand, we see every day how inclusive storytelling connects us more deeply with our consumers. Who’s Missing? provides a simple but powerful framework for our teams and partners to keep inclusion front of mind. It’s a reminder that the small choices we make at the start of a campaign can drive big change — for our industry, and for the people we serve.”