A computer virus was seeded throughout thousands of email inboxes on the morning of the 1st December. The virus, which was an embedded file on the email and not a virus at all, was an ingenious hoax created to try and connect with people who were no longer practising safe sex. It demonstrated just how easy it is to become infected with HIV if you don’t take precautions. By midday, the email had been forwarded to people all around the country, containing the important message, ‘Catching a virus is easy. Always use a condom.’

The NZAF received free media coverage, including mentions on the premier independent reporting site, Scoop.co.nz, and on numerous radio stations including Newstalk ZB. The viral not only increased donations to 0900-RIBBON, but spread awareness to an estimated 14,000 people. On a relatively small budget, the coverage and awareness that this promo raised has enabled the NZAF, and the message of protected safe sex, to become noticed again amongst the New Zealand public.