Excellence in Communication Through Creative Execution - New for 2018

Summary of work

People living with HIV can expect to live as long as those without it, but the virus and its treatment can speed up the ageing process, increasing the risk of illness later in life. However, future health isn’t a concern for this population and many do not want to hear messages about ageing when they feel fit and well in the present. Given this background, the aim of the campaign was to empower people living with HIV to make the right choices today that improve the chances of living a healthy life in the future.

A creative was designed to appeal to gay men using a positive lifestyle narrative to communicate important information about ageing well. It used the analogy of Flight HIV101 to empower people to be the pilot of their own journey and to prepare for their own ‘long-haul flight’ by speaking to their doctor. At its centre was a flight safety comedy short featuring HIV-positive drag queen Panti Bliss and a cast of HIV positive gay men.

The campaign reached 29m people, with 17,500 social media interactions leading to 18% of the target population showing intent to improve long-term health.

Judges' comments

Gilead and 90TEN produced a great campaign conceived with the help of HIV+ writers and performers. It was brave, different and on target with its audience, plus clearly delivered results.