New Zealand advert wins prime prize
“To repair our nationwide delight, the answer is clear: herpes.”
That was the pitch made by the charity New Zealand Herpes Basis final October, when it launched a marketing campaign to make the nation the “finest place” to have the an infection.
That marketing campaign has been a roaring success, profitable a prime prize at this 12 months’s Cannes Lions awards, which recognise excellence within the artistic trade.
The marketing campaign, which aimed to destigmatise herpes through a pretend tourism commercial video, was awarded the Grand Prix for Good – a class that seeks to focus on work by non-profit organisations and charities.
The video starred Sir Graham Henry, the previous head coach of the nationwide rugby union staff.
In it, he touted the previous successes of New Zealand and lamented its diminishing sources of nationwide delight – equivalent to an “embarrassingly low” sheep-to-human ratio and pies which are “pushing seven bucks”.
“We’d like one thing new to be pleased with; one thing massive and courageous to place us again on the map,” Mr Henry mentioned as he scrawled the phrase “HERPES” – in all caps – on a chalk board.
“It is time for New Zealand to change into the perfect place on this planet to have herpes.”
What adopted was one other old-school video packaged as a “herpes destigmatisation course”, that includes different nationwide icons like former well being ministry chief Sir Ashley Bloomfield {and professional} boxer Mea Motu.
The irreverent humour working via the marketing campaign – which was developed with companies Movement Illness and FINCH – has struck a chord with audiences.
“Overlook doom and gloom, there’s sufficient of that already to go round,” mentioned David Ohana, communications chief on the United Nations Basis and a jury president at this 12 months’s Cannes Lions.
“Our 2025 awardee took a taboo matter and turned it on its head – displaying that with an important technique, an enormous, daring, loopy thought … and humour for days, that something is feasible.”
Round one in three sexually energetic adults in New Zealand has the virus that causes genital herpes, although most have gentle or no signs and may lead odd lives, based on the New Zealand Herpes Basis.
“Standard media, misinformation, and New Zealanders’ awkwardness speaking about intercourse – has led to large stigmatisation for these dwelling regular lives with the virus,” reads a press launch from when the marketing campaign was launched final October.
Alaina Luxmoore, from the New Zealand Herpes Basis, advised native TV programme Breakfast that thousands and thousands had seen the marketing campaign, which had “huge cut-through”.
“The marketing campaign was so humorous, I feel that is why it labored,” Luxmore mentioned.