Australian gov’t, Ogilvy launch awareness campaign to debunk ‘menopause transition’ stigma

Sydney, Australia — As part of its first-ever national effort to raise awareness around perimenopause and menopause, the Australian Government has launched the “Could This Be Perimenopause?” campaign, designed to shed light on the often-overlooked ‘inner voice’ of women navigating the transitional life stage. 

Developed by Ogilvy for the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, the “Could This Be Perimenopause?” campaign highlights common but often misunderstood symptoms associated with the transitional life stage for women, including sleep disruption, brain fog, sudden sweats, anxiety and fatigue. 

The campaign also encourages women to recognise potential signs of perimenopause and address common misconceptions while seeking evidence-based information, support, and treatment.

“The silence around perimenopause and menopause has carried a real cost. We’ve had decades of confusion, misdiagnosis, and suffering that women simply didn’t need to face alone,” said Fran Clayton, Chief Strategy Officer of Ogilvy.

“Our goal wasn’t simply to raise awareness, but to reframe the experience. This campaign finds women in that 3am moment, wide awake, wondering if they’re losing their mind, and says: we see you, this is a thing. Not to wrap it in a bow. Just to say it has a name, and there’s support if you know where to look,” she added. 

Running through the end of 2026, the campaign will be rolled out nationwide across television, BVOD, out-of-home, social, audio and digital channels, while targeting women aged 35 to 55 and broader audiences including younger women, healthcare professionals and support networks through a dedicated online information hub.

The Ogilvy-developed creative platform forms part of a wider communications program led by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing in collaboration with agency partners including Fiftyfive5, Universal McCann, Fenton, Cultural Perspectives, Carbon, and Hall & Partners. 

The initiative is also supported by a dedicated campaign website at health.gov.au/perimenopause, providing evidence-based information, treatment guidance and access to support services for women navigating perimenopause and menopause.