National Media Coverage for Australia’s Leading Grief Organisation

The client

Grief Australia is one of Australia’s leading bereavement support organisations, providing specialist counselling, education and advocacy for individuals, families, communities and professionals experiencing grief and loss. Through evidence-based practice and decades of experience, the organisation supports Australians affected by death, trauma and significant life change while promoting greater understanding of grief across the community.

At the time of this campaign, the organisation operated as the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement (ACGB). It has since evolved to become Grief Australia, continuing its national leadership in grief support, education and policy.

Context:

Following the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas, millions of people turned to social media to express grief, shock and solidarity. While much of the news focused on the event itself, Affect Media recognised an opportunity to help Australians better understand why people experience grief after tragedies that occur far beyond their own communities.

Working with Christopher Hall, CEO of the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement, we developed a media strategy that reframed the conversation around collective grief, trauma and the growing role of digital platforms in contemporary mourning.

The challenge:

The organisation wanted to contribute meaningful psychological expertise to a rapidly developing international news story without sensationalising the tragedy.

The challenge was to position Christopher Hall as an authoritative spokesperson who could help audiences understand the emotional impact of mass violence while reinforcing the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement’s role as Australia’s leading grief education and support organisation.

Our approach:

Rather than commenting on the tragedy itself, Affect Media identified the broader human story.

Working with Christopher Hall, we developed a timely media angle exploring why people grieve for strangers, why communities come together online after traumatic events, and how social media has become an increasingly important space for collective mourning and emotional expression.

The story combined evidence-based psychological insight with a strong public interest angle, making it highly relevant to journalists seeking expert commentary beyond breaking news.

The outcome:

The story was distributed nationally through Australian Associated Press (AAP) and published by SBS News, positioning Christopher Hall as an expert commentator on grief, trauma and collective emotional responses following the Las Vegas mass shooting.

The story was subsequently republished by HealthTimes and inspired a separate editorial feature by MiNDFOOD, extending the conversation into specialist health and lifestyle media.

Together, the coverage demonstrated how one strategically developed media opportunity can generate meaningful editorial coverage across multiple audiences.

Results

• National editorial coverage with SBS News
• National distribution through Australian Associated Press (AAP)
• Additional publication by HealthTimes
• Separate editorial feature published by MiNDFOOD
• At least three verified editorial placements
• Expert positioning for Christopher Hall
• Increased visibility for the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement
• Coverage spanning national news, specialist health and consumer wellbeing audiences

Why it mattered

This project demonstrates Affect Media’s ability to identify emerging social issues, develop compelling media angles and position experts as trusted voices during significant public conversations. By translating complex psychological concepts into accessible stories, we help organisations build authority through credible editorial coverage that informs, educates and creates lasting public value.