Sally Williams reveals ‘horrific’ light-bulb moment that changed her life

For 25 years, she was one of Australia’s most recognisable faces. Then, in 2017, Sally Williams suddenly disappeared from our screens.

Sally Williams was the face of Brand Power ads for more than 25 years. Picture: YouTube

Sally Williams was beamed into our lounge rooms during ad breaks for more than a quarter of a century — until one “horrific” experience changed everything.

Ms Williams became the face of the iconic Brand Power commercials in the early ’90s, and within months she was one of the most recognisable figures in Australia, and one of the country’s original “influencers”.

Over the years, she has advised Aussie consumers on everything from pasta to batteries under Brand Power’s famous “helping you buy better” catchphrase.

But in 2017, the Melbourne mother of two walked away from the job that made her a household staple after more than 25 years in the role.

She told news.com.au she made that tough decision after having a wake-up call during a family holiday.

“I was in Indonesia around 10 years ago with my family on a boat stopping at islands in a beautiful, tropical paradise — but I was gobsmacked by the rubbish piling up on the beaches,” she said.

“It was so bad I couldn’t find somewhere to put my feet without stepping on rubbish — it was horrific, and it made me feel ill.

Sally Williams on the Brand Power set in 1997 while pregnant with twins Angelica and Jake.

“I made the decision (to leave Brand Power) because I was sick of myself — I realised I was leading people into supermarkets, and they would come out with 20 plastic bags probably half filled with things I had advertised.”

Ms Williams said she had been taught to value the environment since childhood and had lived a reasonably sustainable lifestyle in adulthood, which meant she faced a difficult dilemma.

“Unfortunately, while I was presenting Brand Power I wasn’t always using what I was encouraging people to buy,” she said.

“Some clients were brilliant, but I had to step away from my contract with Brand Power because I didn’t have a choice — I couldn’t say no (to certain brands).”

She said one of the best parts of her former job was “connecting” with people and earning their trust.

“People would come up to me and say, ‘I remember this ad, you told me to buy this product, and that’s enough for me’, and they would put a product in their trolley and off they’d go,” she said.

Sally Williams was known as the ‘Brand Power Lady’ for more than 25 years. Picture: YouTube

“They had so much trust in me for all those years.”

These days, she’s hoping to use that trust to continue to lead Aussie consumers to certain products — only now, she only endorses those that are “doing the right thing” by the planet.

Ms Williams, 57, now has a regular segment on 3AW’s Afternoon Show, with host Denis Walter dubbing her “Sustainable Sally” — a moniker she’s embraced.

“I’m not the ‘Brand Power Lady’ now, I’m Sustainable Sally — I’ve upcycled myself,” she joked.

Ms Williams also has a full-time spot on 7Two’s Vasili’s Garden, and while she still works with Brand Power — although no longer exclusively — these days, she only promotes products or services she truly believes in.

One of those is Supercart Australia, a local business that makes shopping trolleys out of recycled plastic, which she supports as an official ambassador.

“I can’t wait for the day Coles and Woolies sign up for a big Supercart order,” Ms Williams said.

Sally Williams says "the penny has dropped" in Australia regarding sustainability. Picture: @louisajonesphotography

And as if that doesn’t keep her busy enough, she’s also a wedding and funeral celebrant in her ever-dwindling spare time, and an official brand ambassador for State Trustees Will Week 2019.

Ms Williams said while Australia was still “behind the eight ball” compared to other nations when it came to sustainability, it was a growing movement.

She said it was becoming more and more popular to care about the environment thanks to the rise of social media, TV programs such as the ABC’s War on Waste and David Attenborough’s documentaries on climate change as well as education, celebrity campaigning and our major supermarkets’ high-profile plastic bag ban.

And she said while it was easy to feel overwhelmed by environmental problems or that individuals couldn’t make a difference, there was a lot to feel positive about.

“The penny has dropped in Australia — people are pushing for change, and the younger generation are learning about the environment in school — they’re the ones who will make a big change,” she said.

“It means industries and businesses are having to step up, but we’ve also got to think about our decision-making when it comes to everyday purchases … that’s where I come in.

“The trick is to make sure people are informed. My slogan used to be ‘buy better’, but now it’s ‘buy even better’.”

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