The New Zealand Herpes Foundation's campaign, aimed at destigmatizing herpes, gained recognition at the Cannes Lions awards, clinching the Grand Prix for Good, specifically acknowledging non-profit creativity. Launched in October, the initiative featured a humorous faux tourism ad starring rugby legend Sir Graham Henry, who humorously suggested that New Zealand embrace herpes as a new point of national pride.
New Zealand's Herpes Campaign Wins Coveted Cannes Lions Award
New Zealand's Herpes Campaign Wins Coveted Cannes Lions Award
A controversial advertising campaign by the New Zealand Herpes Foundation has captured international attention by winning a prestigious award.
The engaging content and clever strategy made the campaign a hit among audiences and helped tackle stigma associated with the virus affecting many New Zealanders, generating millions of views and discussions surrounding a typically taboo subject.
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"To fix our national pride, the solution is obvious: herpes." This was the bold proposition put forward by the New Zealand Herpes Foundation in a campaign that aimed to change the narrative about herpes in the country.
The campaign, launched last October, sought to position New Zealand as "the best place to have herpes," and recently celebrated its success by winning the Grand Prix for Good at the Cannes Lions awards, a prestigious recognition in the creative industry. It utilized humor and creativity to address the stigma surrounding the sexually transmitted infection, showcasing a faux tourism advertisement featuring Sir Graham Henry, the former national rugby union coach.
In the satirical video, Henry lamented the country's diminishing sources of pride, including an "embarrassingly low" sheep-to-human ratio and high pie prices, before declaring, "It's time for New Zealand to become the best place in the world to have herpes," scrawling the word on a chalkboard.
Following that, the humorous content featured national icons, including Sir Ashley Bloomfield and boxer Mea Motu, in a mock "herpes destigmatization course." The clever approach and lighthearted tone resonated with viewers, highlighting that many sexually active adults in New Zealand carry the herpes virus but often experience mild symptoms or none at all. The campaign addressed the significant stigma driven by misinformation and societal discomfort around discussing sex.
The success of the campaign has garnered attention not only for its humor but also for its meaningful impact. Alaina Luxmoore of the New Zealand Herpes Foundation stated that the effort reached millions and emphasized the importance of comedy in effectively communicating sensitive topics. David Ohana, head of communications at the United Nations Foundation, praised the campaign's boldness and creativity in tackling this taboo subject, showing that innovative strategies and humor can effect change.
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"To fix our national pride, the solution is obvious: herpes." This was the bold proposition put forward by the New Zealand Herpes Foundation in a campaign that aimed to change the narrative about herpes in the country.
The campaign, launched last October, sought to position New Zealand as "the best place to have herpes," and recently celebrated its success by winning the Grand Prix for Good at the Cannes Lions awards, a prestigious recognition in the creative industry. It utilized humor and creativity to address the stigma surrounding the sexually transmitted infection, showcasing a faux tourism advertisement featuring Sir Graham Henry, the former national rugby union coach.
In the satirical video, Henry lamented the country's diminishing sources of pride, including an "embarrassingly low" sheep-to-human ratio and high pie prices, before declaring, "It's time for New Zealand to become the best place in the world to have herpes," scrawling the word on a chalkboard.
Following that, the humorous content featured national icons, including Sir Ashley Bloomfield and boxer Mea Motu, in a mock "herpes destigmatization course." The clever approach and lighthearted tone resonated with viewers, highlighting that many sexually active adults in New Zealand carry the herpes virus but often experience mild symptoms or none at all. The campaign addressed the significant stigma driven by misinformation and societal discomfort around discussing sex.
The success of the campaign has garnered attention not only for its humor but also for its meaningful impact. Alaina Luxmoore of the New Zealand Herpes Foundation stated that the effort reached millions and emphasized the importance of comedy in effectively communicating sensitive topics. David Ohana, head of communications at the United Nations Foundation, praised the campaign's boldness and creativity in tackling this taboo subject, showing that innovative strategies and humor can effect change.
