Why is this work relevant for Media?

In March 2018, New Zealand became among the first countries globally to publicly fund pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medication for those at high risk of contracting HIV. HIV transmission is still present as many New Zealanders aren’t consistently taking steps to protect themselves and their sexual partners. The New Zealand AIDS Foundation (NZAF) challenged us to change this among men who have sex with men (MSM). Talking about sex (especially sex between men) in Aotearoa (New Zealand) can be challenging, even as a secular country, so this is a story of how a brave media strategy and execution got NZ talking.

Background

NZAF is a small organisation with a big goal (the epitome of a challenger brand): to eradicate new HIV transmissions. With the introduction of PrEP, wide availability of condoms, and the knowledge that people living with HIV with an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV sexually, there are a number of options for MSM to keep themselves, and their partners safe. However, every year in New Zealand MSM (NZ’s highest-risk group) still make up the highest number of new HIV diagnoses . NZAF wants to change this, ensuring better health and wellbeing outcomes for MSM. Despite being quite socially liberal (decriminalising homosexuality in 1986 and voting in marriage equality in 2013), Kiwis don’t often talk enough about safe-sex. Even with those they are having sex with. NZAF’s brief was punchy: “change this”. Objectives for this campaign were to get MSM, and NZ as a whole, talking about safer sex options.

Describe the creative idea/insights (30% of vote)

Research into our target audience of 18-39 year-old MSM highlighted that many had multiple casual sexual partners (often known as f***buddies), with whom they have their own set of “rules”. These rules can cover where, how often, and when they met up, as well as the form that each relationship takes. The creative idea was to tap into these “Rules of a F***buddy” by encouraging MSM to add rules about safer sex into the mix. Our insight was: although having multiple sexual partners is not uncommon, the concept of talking about safer sex rules with each (as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach) isn’t publicly acknowledged.

Describe the strategy (20% of vote)

To reach our target audience of 18-39 year-old MSM, we recognised the need to be visible in both the digital and physical spaces where they live, work, play, match and mingle. Activating our insight, we elevated the concept of multiple casual sexual partners into the very public eye. Our strategy was, “spark conversations about the rules f***buddies need to protect themselves, by giving representation to this common relationship type on public stage”. We led with risqué and radical large-format outdoor, to get attention, challenge ingrained habits, and to start conversations amongst MSM, as well as media and the public. We supported this with targeted digital audio visual online, and social to reinforce the message with MSM, and to allow the public to submit their own “rules of a f***buddy”.

Describe the execution (20% of vote)

Our strategy played-out across the two cities in NZ with the highest concentration of our target audience. High-impact large format outdoor in Auckland and Wellington launched the campaign, accompanied with highly-visible digital outdoor, and street posters. This created conversation amongst the public and the media, and drove traffic to the campaign website www.rulesofafuckbuddy.com Two weeks after launch, we introduced phase two of the campaign: ambient media and guerrilla-style street marketing. We skewed more heavily towards MSM in Auckland with pavement decals, street stencils, and a PVC wrap of the exterior of a prominent public bathroom – next to an iconic gay venue. Phase three of the campaign introduced user-generated content in the form of their own “rules”, continued digital activity and introduced an element of targeted digital video.

List the results (30% of vote)

Our bold approach, as a small advertiser on a tight budget, worked! The impact on our target audience was notable with 22,600 new visitors to our website, and 195 user-submitted “rules”. Our objectives of starting conversations were met, with five positive media responses including NZ Herald and Radio NZ, the national radio broadcaster - this is significant coverage in our small country. This proved that we could spark conversations about taboo (but important) subjects without sparking outrage.

Please tell us about the challenger brand and how your campaign challenged/was different from your competitors

NZAF has a vision of an Aotearoa with zero HIV transmission where people living with or affected by HIV flourish, and a mission to prevent transmission, reduce stigma, and maximise the well-being of those most affected by HIV. With limited public funding, NZAF is perennially a brand in a challenger position: the necessity of a tight budget, and an audacious goal, forces us to think outside the box. However, NZAF must also be careful not to alienate with our campaigns. Having a modest budget requires us to have both buy-in from the media at large, and appeal to the broader NZ public to engage with our cause. In this respect, our competitors are anyone else with whom our target audience could be engaging, instead of us. It is precisely this engagement which our campaign achieved: leveraging a powerful idea, and a bold media approach to engage, without needless sensationalism.