APPROVED CONTENT FOR HOSTS & MEDIA
We've spent over a decade painstakingly curating, crafting, and pioneering our trademark user-friendly language and tone ... and learning what works (and, what doesn't!) The information below provides critical information to help ensure you accurately represent Sober in the Country while getting the best results for your event, media piece, etc.
Our one simple non-negotiable is that anyone we collaborate or work with takes the time to read through this section and check these details carefully and sends any cross-promotional content (aka stories, tiles, social media posts, podcast intros, etc.) to us via admin@soberinthecountry.org so we can do a quick quality proof and check before any content around us goes live.
Below is information that'll help ensure that you are using:
The right BIO's for introducing us.
The right logos for the right purpose.
Up-to-date professional images.
Our Essential SITC Guidelines & Checklist
Why these guidelines are super important for you and for us:
After a decade of national advocacy, we've learned that newcomers to SITC sometimes assume we preach prohibition. We don’t - and never have.
What we do is promote social inclusion and support for those choosing to drink less or not at all, in a friendly, approachable way. It’s about making it #OK2SAYNO to booze in the bush - simple, yet powerful in a country known for its drinking culture.
That’s why the info below matters. Whether you’re hosting Shanna, an ambassador, organising a fundraiser, or we're teaming up for a workshop, or helping you get alcohol free options to your events, these guidelines will help ensure the right tone, language, and messaging.
It protects our reputation, makes your event more inclusive, and ensures everyone feels welcome, whether they're drinkers, non-drinkers, or somewhere in the middle.
We’re not here to judge. We’re here to back the people who are choosing a different path, to support mates, and help give bush communities a new narrative.
Social media and event text proofs & checks:
Because of the niche wording and approach we've pioneered and because each word is critical in this chat, please ensure you send us any promotional tiles, content, or text via admin@soberinthecountry.org for a quick check and review before publishing.
This is non-negotiable for us, not because we want to micro-manage, but because we know better than anyone that this discussion can be tricky and easily misunderstood if the wrong tone or language is used. We know the common pitfalls and how to help you avoid them.
Tone and language:
When speaking about addiction, in general:
To help us ensure user-friendly conversations and to honour Sober in the Country's brand, please be sure to stick with phrases such as: alcohol misuse, dependence, addiction, or harm.
We ask that you refrain from referring to people as "alcoholics," ''alkies,'' ''addicts,'' etc - as this language further stigmatises people by labelling individuals as their disease rather than someone struggling with a disease - and prevents people from feeling like they can reach out for help.
National standards include phrasing such as "someone living with alcohol addiction" are best to use.
Promotion timeline for events, collabs., etc:
We ask that our partners, event hosts, collaborators (etc.) ensure thorough forward-planning and promotions happen at least several months in advance, and that our agreed and checked social media posts are shared across various platforms from social media to local noticeboards, community groups, etc., and that you tag us in your posts so that we can cross-promote and help ensure your event is supported.
Approved BIO for event MCs hosting our founder, Shanna Whan AM:
Please always include AM after Shanna's name, as this is a nationally recognised honorific that carries weight and will help your event, too.
We'd ask you to also ensure your MC or host has the correct pronunciation: Shanna rhymes with Anna, and Whan rhymes with Swan.
Here's an approved BIO for Shanna Whan AM:
Shanna Whan AM is the founder and CEO of Sober in the Country, a grassroots charity that's pioneered radical social impact across the outback over the past decade through a straightforward and effective message we can all support: that it's always #OK2SAYNO to booze.
Shanna is an Order of Australia medalist recognised in 2025 for her 'significant contributions' to rural community health. She was named the National Australian of the Year (Local Hero) winner in 2022 and the national winner of Marie Claire's Advocate of the Year in 2022.
After almost losing her own life in 2014 to alcohol addiction, she devoted herself and her second chance to 'being the change' she saw was so desperately needed in the outback.
Here's an approved BIO for Sober in the Country:
Sober in the Country is a national grassroots charity that's been driving radical social impact and change across Australia over the past decade through its laser-focused bush experience, advocacy, peer-to-peer (online) support, and incredibly effective and super user-friendly message that it's #OK2SAYNO to booze.
Thinking of including booze-free drink options at your bush event?
In the past decade, many progressive communities have stepped up and taken up the mantle of including sophisticated, sugar-free, tasty alternatives to alcohol so that everyone is truly catered for and included.
If your committee, rodeo, pub, club, or community group is partnering with us to include alcohol-free alternatives and help raise funds for Sober in the Country, thank you! There's no greater honour for us.
We want to remind hosts new to including "AF" drinks that advance notice and planning (including social media posts) are paramount. Why? Well, quite simply, most rural event-goers are not used to choice and anticipate that all they'll be served is alcohol or sugary soft drinks if they're lucky.
So, we suggest that you give your event-goers lots of notice that they'll have options—this will also help you ensure that you sell your stock. We can help you create social media tiles to strike the right language and tone and ensure drinkers and non-drinkers are comfortable and included.
Using the right logo for the right occasion:
When promoting a gathering, keynote talk, or workshop, please use the #OK2SAYNO logo.
Why? It's nationally recognised and super user-friendly, and prevents the possible misconception that we're about prohibition or that your event will be dry.
We use our full ''Sober in the Country'' logo on merchandise, for publications and other places. If in doubt, please check with us and we'll guide you.
In summary:
- Be sure to check with us before you post.
- Start cross-promotions well in advance of your event.
- Message us at admin@soberinthecountry.org any time
- Don't forget to tag us via Facebook and Instagram.
- Don't forget to share images of events
- Please only use our #OK2SAYNO logo for event promotion.
Approved up-to-date images for your use:
Authenticity, professionalism, and current/up-to-date imagery are core to our brand when representing our founder, Shan, or any of our team, ambassadors, etc. Please don't Google or use images from a decade ago or screenshots from other sites, such as Shanna's personal instagram.
Below are our current approved images. You can download them individually. Just click the download icon in the bottom right corner of each photo as you hover over it. If you're on a smartphone, simply do a long press on the photo and choose 'Save to Photos' on an iPhone or "Download image" on an Android phone.
We have also included a pre-cut image with negative white space for adding words or your logos if necessary.
All images are legally owned by SITC, so please just credit as 'images supplied.'
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