The Brief

In August 2009 India was among the many countries grappling with Swine Flu. The deadly disease had claimed about 126 lives, till that time. And with a little help from the media, it sent a wave of panic across the nation. But there was another disease that had already claimed more than 25 million lives in the last 25 years but never got so much importance - AIDS. Therefore, we decided to reawaken the need for awareness about AIDS, while also providing protection from swine flu.

Creative Execution

It was a time when the surgical mask was the most sought-after method of precaution from swine flu. People were ready to shell out any amount of money to buy a mask. Therefore, the 'free mask' had to generate phenomenal response among the people of the city. Which it did.

Describe the creative solution to the brief/objective.

The solution came in the form of a swine flu mask, but with an appropriate message: "126 people succumb to swine flu and you wear a mask. 25 million have died of AIDS. Do you use condoms?" We printed this message on swine flu masks and distributed them for free, across the city of Mumbai.

Results

The activity was carried out across the city, especially at busy traffic junctions, outside hospitals, colleges etc. Hundreds of people were already flocking towards the Ojus representatives, for their free masks. But, it was the unlikely placement of the message on the mask that took them by surprise. Some of them smiled, some read it aloud, some showed it friends. It, basically, got them all thinking. About AIDS, about condoms, about life.