Launched on Global Herpes Awareness Day (13 October 2024), this public health initiative aimed to dismantle one of New Zealand’s most persistent social taboos.
With up to 80 percent of Kiwis carrying oral or genital herpes by midlife, New Zealand ranked among the countries with the highest stigma globally, and nearly one-third of diagnosed individuals reported depression or suicidal thoughts—not due to symptoms, but due to shame.
To counter this, the New Zealand Herpes Foundation teamed up with Motion Sickness, FINCH, and TRA to launch a humor-infused education campaign that tied destigmatization to something Kiwis hold dear: national pride. The campaign invited all New Zealanders to take part in the “Herpes Destigmatization Course,” a playful six-part video series aimed at debunking myths and normalizing the conversation around herpes. Hosting the series were familiar faces—Sir Ashley Bloomfield, Sir Graham Henry, Sir Buck Shelford, Angella Dravid, Mea Motu, and others—who lent credibility while delivering facts with wit and warmth.
Central to the campaign was the Herpes Stigma Index, a live, interactive leaderboard measuring national stigma based on an OECD-wide survey. At launch, New Zealand began in 9th place—just above the bottom—but participants could “earn” points for their country simply by watching videos, sharing content, or completing the course. This gamified approach encouraged collective action and friendly competition, turning a serious health issue into a movement built around national improvement.
Bold outdoor posters plastered the word “HERPES” across the country—unapologetically eye-catching and playful in a travel‑poster style. Combined with the light tone and familiar celebrity narrators, the visuals broke through the usual health campaign tactics, prompting curiosity and conversation.
The results were remarkable. Within eight weeks, Aotearoa climbed from ninth to first place on the stigma index, surpassing competitors like Australia and Sweden. Engagement was staggering: Kiwis collectively spent over 10,700 hours consuming the course content (roughly 1.2 years’ worth of video) and drove 12.7 million impressions across social channels. A TRA-led post-campaign survey found 69 percent of participants experienced reduced stigma, 86 percent felt more comfortable discussing herpes, and 81 percent said they felt empowered to support others. One viewer, Julie, summed it up: initially skeptical, she became more open after engaging with the humor and information, saying, “after watching them my attitude to herpes has changed”.
Instead of framing the campaign around personal shame, it reframed education as a collective mission: help New Zealand become number one in herpes acceptance. This elevated the initiative from personal health to shared civic achievement. By using humor and plain talk—bolstered by high-profile Kiwi presenters—the campaign made a taboo topic approachable. That balance between levity and authority was key to breaking through both attention and stigma.
The stigma index leaderboard provided real-time feedback and drove accountability. It also turned individual participation into a visible collective win, amplifying reach and relevance.
“Make New Zealand the Best Place in the World to Have Herpes” succeeded because it transformed a medical message into a cultural rallying cry. Persona-centred storytelling, national motivation, and clever use of humor created a campaign that didn’t just inform— it unified. The result was a genuine reduction in stigma, a surge in dialogue, and a compelling case study in how creativity can shift both mindsets and metrics.
AWARDS
Cannes Lions 2025
D&AD 2025
- Wood Pencil in Writing for Design (Digital)
- Wood Pencil in Entertainment (Scripted Short Form)
- Wood Pencil in Writing for Advertising (Integrated)
One Show 2025
- Bronze in Health & Wellness (Use of Humor)
CREDITS
Client: New Zealand Herpes Foundation. Creative Agency: Finch (Sydney) and Motion Sickness (Auckland). Production Company: Finch, Sydney. Post Production: Atticus (Sydney) and BigPop Studios (Auckland).
