Australian Psychological Society unveils first national campaign
The Australian Psychological Society, a representative body for psychologists in Australia, has launched its first national campaign to show Australians they never have to walk through life alone.
The ad is told through the eyes of someone as they journey from childhood to adulthood, showcasing life’s highs and lows from their perspective. Much of the focus is looking down, as the ad’s protagonist watches their feet as they ‘walk through life’.
Love this – what a great and powerful use of creativity – well done psychology.
As nice as the message is in the ad, is anyone uncomfortable with all the metaphoric and literal images of “walking” and “shoes” when there is a substantial group of people in Australia who walk very little or don’t walk at all (e.g., people in wheelchairs)? The repeated images of feet and walking might say to people who don’t walk that the APS really doesn’t understand them. People who don’t walk are excluded from lots of things: excluded from physical access to places, excluded from consideration for jobs, and now, it appears, excluded from representation in an organisation that should be inclusive of all Australians (not even a brief image of looking down at feet in a wheelchair rolling along a path).