In the fight against AIDS, nothing is more important than wearing condoms. Most people know that. But still, young people aren’t always putting a rubber on. We tried to find out why, and discovered that, most of the time, it’s because the conversation is too uncomfortable to have with their partner. We also found out that young adults were getting tired of fear-based messages, which basically suggest you’ll die if you don’t use a condom. So we flipped the logic and engaged them around all the fun they can have if they stay safe. With that in mind, we designed an integrated campaign with one ambition in mind: lighten the mood around condoms, perhaps making it a little easier to discuss – and wear.

"Protect Yourself" celebrates a more positive approach to sexuality, or even sexualities, as there is more than one shade of gray in this rather creative field.

The World of Sex map is rooted in a simple human truth: the longer you’re healthy and STD-free, the longer you get to enjoy an active sex life. Out of this thought came the line “The safer you play, the longer you stay in the game.” From here, it was just a hop, skip and conceptual jump to making a sex theme park with the truncated line “The safer you play, the longer you stay.”

Because editorial teams found it original and fun, it was mentioned in all major French media (Elle, Les Inrocks, etc.). Importantly, lots of free space was donated to feature the work, including some space in French alternative-lifestyle magazines whose audiences are key targets for AIDES. Readers were delighted, and the biggest sign of success came from seeing the images scanned to become an online sensation, receiving plenty of positive comments on popular websites - generalist and sex-centric. Meanwhile, in combined effect with the rest of the campaign, traffic and comments on the AIDES website, as well as donations, significantly increased.