Sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise both in Fresno County and statewide. That’s why the Fresno County Department of Public Health tasked JP with informing the public about safe sex and STDs.
Syphilis. Congenital syphilis. Chlamydia. Gonorrhea. HIV. Safe sex. All this talk about “the talk” was like taking a trip down Sex Ed Memory Lane. Now older and wiser (and perhaps with more research under our belts), we were ready to develop a campaign that would create lasting change for our community.
The Pressure to Perform
When you work in the creative department, any chance to work on something sex-related is both an inspirational gold mine and a black hole of immense pressure (so not unlike doing it for some people). It’s a crash course in Sex Ed 2.0: everything is a double entendre and every STD symptom is TMI. And just like those awkward teen years, we run the risk of sounding juvenile if we use too many lines that make people giggle and not enough lines with sincere info about the risks.
We knew FCDPH was open to bold creative ideas, so our team purged every possible pun out of our system and let the creative juices flow. From phallic fruits and veggies to vector silhouettes intimating the male and female form, we developed several concepts that highlighted the signs and risks of STDs.
With an overarching message of promoting healthy relationships in Fresno County, we featured photography showing couples of various ethnicities and sexual orientation to make our campaign feel inclusive. And in our effort to convey the weight of getting tested without scaring the audience, our message was delivered in a nonjudgmental tone that didn’t shame the sexually active. We also ensured that our headlines and copy were written in a candid, conversational way that explained symptoms and facts in plain terms (so less like a lecture from a disapproving parent and more like a heart-to-heart with your BFF).
With a solid, straightforward campaign ready to launch, we directed our viewers to a custom landing page that housed Fresno County STD testing locations and info – a site we got to design and name.
The name the Department approved? JustTheTipsFresno.com.
Yes, we actually recommended it because sometimes puns work.
In addition to our ads and landing page, JP also worked with FCDPH to hand out 2,000 condoms at the Fresno Pride Parade. The custom-designed condoms had a rainbow wrapper, along with the “Get Checked” logo and JustTheTipsFresno.com. They were also attached to postcards that included key points about safe sex – including using protection even when taking PrEP, an antiviral medication used to prevent HIV, and encouraging open communication with partners.
Early Test Results
So far, the display campaign’s had a strong start, with a high click-through rate just two weeks into the campaign. And three weeks since the site’s launch, we’ve driven 3,288 users to the County’s STD landing page.
We’re also working with the County to order additional custom condoms for the campaign – and this time, we’re including custom-designed lube packets to pair with every condom. Hmmm, it seems like when JP’s creative juices flow… ugh, sorry. I guess sex ed wasn’t all that long ago.
— KATRINA RIGGS, Copywriter
