Life. Be in it. is a health promotion and advertising charity, primarily known for its campaign encouraging people to be more active, started in 1975 by the Victorian state government. Following the loss of government funding in 1981, it became an independent charity and has intermittently run adverts on Australian and occasionally American television, featuring the animated character Norm. The National Museum of Australia included Life. Be in it in their Defining Moments in Australian History project.

Television campaign

The television advertisements for the program are cartoons featuring people doing a wide range of activities, with a catchy tune "Be in it today, live more of your life". The main character is Norm, a middle aged man with a prominent

beer belly Abdominal obesity, also known as central obesity and truncal obesity, is a condition when excessive visceral fat around the stomach and abdomen has built up to the extent that it is likely to have a negative impact on health. Abdominal obesity has ...

, meant to represent a "normal" Australian bloke. The idea for Norm and the advertising came from Phillip Adams and

Alex Stitt Alexander Arthur Henry Stitt (January 3, 1937 – October 2, 2016) was an Australian cartoonist, artist and celebrity whose work is well remembered in the Life. Be in it. campaign, as well as for Sid the Seagull, and Norm, both created for a var ...

; Stitt drew all the cartoons. In the original run of television advertisements, Norm was voiced by Max Gillies. In the 2000 revival, the voice was provided by Dr Colin Benjamin. The original theme music for the campaign was created by Peter Best. The program began in 1975 with the Victorian state government, developed by the Monahan Dayman Adams advertising company, underneath

Brian Dixon Brian Dixon may refer to: * Brian Dixon (Australian footballer) (born 1936), Australian rules footballer and politician * Brian A. Dixon (born 1980), American author * Brian Dixon (American football) (born 1990), American football player * Brian Dix ...

, former

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modi