AHF’s ‘Just Use It’ campaign grabbed the silver for Print/Out-of-Home Campaign of the Year at the 2024 Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards, solidifying its status as a standout public health initiative.
Inspired by Nike’s iconic ‘Just Do It’ slogan, the campaign took a humorous approach to promoting safer sex. “We wanted to parody something universally recognizable to grab attention and spark conversation around a sensitive subject,” said Jason Farmer, AHF’s Vice President of Marketing. “We aimed to break through the stigma around sexual health practices and fight for a future where talking openly about safer sex and HIV prevention is no longer shocking but the norm.”
The campaign featured 37 striking ads featuring a condom-wrapped banana that reached over 1.2 million people across the U.S., U.K., and the Netherlands. Humor met powerful messaging to tackle the misinformation and stigma surrounding condoms, especially when condom use is declining worldwide.
The campaign’s journey wasn’t without hurdles, with top billboard companies rejecting the artwork due to its provocative imagery. “We weren’t willing to compromise and water down our message, so we turned to independent media owners,” said Farmer. “After running the artwork as-is, we received remarkable responses on social media, in the press, and through award recognition globally.”
Winning the award is a testament to the AHF Marketing team’s unrelenting drive to disseminate its message at a time when public health is being attacked nationwide. It’s also the best validation for AHF sticking to its guns – a tried-and-true organizational tradition.
“We hope that the success of this campaign will make those in the advertising industry realize that public health is worth taking risks on to stand out, get attention, and help save lives,” added Farmer.
