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Category
Integrated / Series
Annual ID
ADC104_PHW034M
Background
In New Zealand, humor is often used to address serious or uncomfortable issues. Public service campaigns succeed by using offbeat comedy to open conversations and convey serious messages. Kiwis love a laugh and pride themselves on not taking things too seriously. While herpes stigma is serious, comedy helps make the topic accessible, engage people with educational content, and encourage the message to spread.
The New Zealand Herpes Foundation plays a key role in breaking down the stigma surrounding herpes, promoting understanding, and providing reliable information and support. As a trusted health organization, it works to educate Kiwis about herpes, encouraging open conversations and offering practical tools for managing the condition.
As a small country, New Zealand often feels overlooked globally, so being recognized for anything unique is a source of pride. From John Oliver’s feature on a politician being hit with a dildo to foreigners calling us ‘hobbits,’ we celebrate moments that reflect our quirky identity. Headlines about things that happen ‘only in New Zealand’ resonate with Kiwis, who embrace bold, unconventional ideas. The New Zealand Herpes Foundation leans into this uniquely Kiwi spirit by using humor to tackle stigma and encouraging a positive, relatable approach to sexual health—a goal no other country might pursue in quite the same way.
The New Zealand Herpes Foundation plays a key role in breaking down the stigma surrounding herpes, promoting understanding, and providing reliable information and support. As a trusted health organization, it works to educate Kiwis about herpes, encouraging open conversations and offering practical tools for managing the condition.
As a small country, New Zealand often feels overlooked globally, so being recognized for anything unique is a source of pride. From John Oliver’s feature on a politician being hit with a dildo to foreigners calling us ‘hobbits,’ we celebrate moments that reflect our quirky identity. Headlines about things that happen ‘only in New Zealand’ resonate with Kiwis, who embrace bold, unconventional ideas. The New Zealand Herpes Foundation leans into this uniquely Kiwi spirit by using humor to tackle stigma and encouraging a positive, relatable approach to sexual health—a goal no other country might pursue in quite the same way.
Creative Idea
New Zealanders take pride in being #1, whether it’s the world’s sexiest accent, rugby victories, or a world-class pandemic response. But with recent challenges, national pride was at an all-time low. To unite the country, we positioned eliminating herpes stigma as a way to restore our self-esteem, reclaim international glory, and boost patriotism.
The campaign tapped into nostalgia and humor, using iconic Kiwi imagery and enlisting national hero Sir Graham Henry to champion the cause. The bold message: let’s make New Zealand “The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes.”
We created a Herpes Stigma Index, ranking global stigma levels, and launched the world’s first “Herpes Destigmatisation Course.” By engaging with humorous, educational content, Kiwis could reduce stigma and earn leaderboard points for New Zealand. Over eight weeks, 10,776 hours of content were viewed, and New Zealand proudly became “Officially The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes.”
The campaign tapped into nostalgia and humor, using iconic Kiwi imagery and enlisting national hero Sir Graham Henry to champion the cause. The bold message: let’s make New Zealand “The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes.”
We created a Herpes Stigma Index, ranking global stigma levels, and launched the world’s first “Herpes Destigmatisation Course.” By engaging with humorous, educational content, Kiwis could reduce stigma and earn leaderboard points for New Zealand. Over eight weeks, 10,776 hours of content were viewed, and New Zealand proudly became “Officially The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes.”
Insights & Strategy
Up to 80% of New Zealanders will contract oral or genital herpes in their lifetime, but 30% of those diagnosed experience depressive or suicidal thoughts due to stigma. Driven by pop culture this stigma causes shame and isolation over a common, manageable virus.
The New Zealand Herpes Foundation, a charity since 1994, provides support and education for those living with herpes. With thousands of distress calls received annually, they needed a stigma-reducing campaign to start conversations and reduce the need for their services. Despite a limited budget, the campaign leveraged humor and a reinvention of national pride to engage the public.
Results exceeded expectations: 10,776 hours of content were viewed, 86% of participants reported feeling more comfortable discussing herpes and 22 million PR impressions . The campaign earned local and global media attention, transforming perceptions of herpes stigma in New Zealand and demonstrating how open conversations can create impactful change.
The New Zealand Herpes Foundation, a charity since 1994, provides support and education for those living with herpes. With thousands of distress calls received annually, they needed a stigma-reducing campaign to start conversations and reduce the need for their services. Despite a limited budget, the campaign leveraged humor and a reinvention of national pride to engage the public.
Results exceeded expectations: 10,776 hours of content were viewed, 86% of participants reported feeling more comfortable discussing herpes and 22 million PR impressions . The campaign earned local and global media attention, transforming perceptions of herpes stigma in New Zealand and demonstrating how open conversations can create impactful change.
Execution
‘The Best Place in The World to Have Herpes’ is the world’s most unlikely integrated tourism campaign, underpinned by an important strategic health message.
Featuring a first-of-its-kind ‘Herpes Destigmatisation Course’, a global ranking system underpinned by live data, and plenty of irreverent humour, this campaign took an unique approach to reducing herpes stigma – framing it as the key to restoring New Zealand’s diminished sense of national pride. Using multiple channels the cohesive campaign rallied the world to compete for the title of ‘The Best Place in The World to Have Herpes’...see how it unfolded...
Featuring a first-of-its-kind ‘Herpes Destigmatisation Course’, a global ranking system underpinned by live data, and plenty of irreverent humour, this campaign took an unique approach to reducing herpes stigma – framing it as the key to restoring New Zealand’s diminished sense of national pride. Using multiple channels the cohesive campaign rallied the world to compete for the title of ‘The Best Place in The World to Have Herpes’...see how it unfolded...
Results
The campaign to destigmatize herpes achieved remarkable results, driving nationwide engagement and international recognition. Over 8 weeks over 10,776 hours of destigmatization content vieweed, thats over 1 year of Herpes Eduction watched. New Zealanders rallied behind the campaign, leading the country to claim the #1 spot as “The Best Place in the World to Have Herpes”.
The campaign’s bold, humorous approach resonated widely. Participation spanned online platforms and traditional media, generating headlines locally and abroad. Over 100 news stories generated over 22 million global PR impressions .
The impact was profound: 86% of participants reported feeling comfortable discussing herpes openly, and many described the campaign as life-changing. It not only reshaped public perceptions but also set the stage for long-term change, with plans to introduce the course in New Zealand high school curriculum, cementing its legacy. All on a creative budget of just $80,000 NZD.
The campaign’s bold, humorous approach resonated widely. Participation spanned online platforms and traditional media, generating headlines locally and abroad. Over 100 news stories generated over 22 million global PR impressions .
The impact was profound: 86% of participants reported feeling comfortable discussing herpes openly, and many described the campaign as life-changing. It not only reshaped public perceptions but also set the stage for long-term change, with plans to introduce the course in New Zealand high school curriculum, cementing its legacy. All on a creative budget of just $80,000 NZD.
2025 Awards
Total Points: 3
Merit Honor
Credits
Agency
Motion Sickness / Auckland
Digital Agency
ED. / Sydney
PR / Marketing Agency
DIG PR / Auckland
Production Company
Finch / Auckland
Creative Director
Melina Fiolitakis
Director
Alex Roberts
Editor
Julian Currin
Luka Turjak
Executive Creative Director
Sam Stuchbury
Producer
Duncan Bernard
Sound Designer
Bigpop Studios
Executive Producer
Rebekah Kelly
Head of Strategy
Hilary Ngan Kee
Senior Designer
Hamish Steptoe
2D Animator
Marcin Sulewski
Account Director
Joe Fraei
Account Lead
Alice Oliver
Archive Sourcing
Freddie Von Trott
Sophie Douglas
Artworker
Moana Peterson
Colourist
Pete Richie
DOP (Ashley Bloomfield Video)
Devan Narsai
Executive Director
Olivia Hall
General Manager
Alex McManus
Head of Production
Joseph McAlpine
Intermediate Creative
Freddy Riddiford
Lead VFX Artist
Stu Bedford
Managing Director/Executive Producer
Corey Esse
Managing Partner
Shaun Fitzgibbon
media
Dom Meehan
Ella Liddell
Shannon O'Connell
Post Producer
Jadon Miller
PR - head chef
Leni Ma'ia'i
PR - sous chef
Daniel Smith
Production Designer
Joseph Leary
Research - Head of Strategy
Carl Sarney
Senior Creative
Will Macdonald
Social Content Editor
Jolin Lee
Social Lead
Roxy Allnutt
Strategy
Chelsea Knowles
Trustee
Alaina Luxmoore
Claire Hurst
Katie McCullough
Megan Reynolds
Wardrobe Stylist
Olivia Dobson
Web - Project Manager
Lucien Jankelson
Web Design
Jeremy Ward
Web Developer
Mike Wojo
Web Development - Creative Director
Elliot Schultz
Web Development - Strategy
Chris Ames
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