Health New Zealand.
Stick it to Hep C.

Art Direction.

Hundreds of New Zealanders die each year of Hep C, despite there being an easy test and cure. People at risk of Hep C are likely men aged 50+ who've used needles for drugs, tattoos and piercings. "Safe" government messaging didn't get their attention, so we worked with health experts and people with lived experience to develop something that would.

This bold but cheeky government campaign broke the silence for the first time, got a hard-to-reach audience talking and tested in record numbers. New Zealand's Most talked about campaign also trended globally, starting conversations about Hep C around the world. After two months, 19 complaints saw the finger pulled off air, creating more publicity. But because of the dramatic success of the campaign in addressing a major national health issue, an appeal saw it able to return to the air in the interest of natural justice.