Latest news with #MotionSickness
The Guardian
24-06-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
New Zealand ad campaign to make country ‘best place in the world to have herpes' wins top prize at Cannes Lions
A public health advertisement that campaigned to make New Zealand 'the best place in the world to have herpes' has won a top prize at the Cannes Lions – one of world's most prestigious advertising awards. The campaign, launched by the New Zealand Herpes Foundation in October last year, attempts to challenge decades of entrenched stigma around genital herpes – a condition that affects up to 80% of New Zealanders at some point in their lives, the foundation said. The cheeky take on a retro-style tourism video features former All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry lamenting the loss of New Zealand's clout on the international stage – the sheep to human ratio is 'embarrassingly low', pies are 'pushing seven bucks' and the country's pride is 'less than outstanding', he opines. 'We need something new to be proud of, something big and brave to put us back on the map – it's time for New Zealand to become the best place in the world to have herpes,' Henry says. The promotional video is followed by a 'Herpes Destigmatisation Course', fronted by prominent New Zealanders such as former director-general of health Sir Ashley Bloomfield, former All Black Sir Buck Shelford and boxer Mea Motu. The campaign – developed alongside Auckland-based agency Motion Sickness and Sydney agency FINCH – was awarded the Lions health and UN foundation grand prix for good, for 'unabashedly [using] humour to tackle a challenging subject and stigmatisation'. 'Our 2025 awardee took a taboo topic and turned it on its head – showing that with a great strategy, a big, bold crazy idea, and humour for days, that anything is possible,' said David Ohana, Cannes Lions jury president. Claire Hurst, one of the foundation's founding trustees, told the Guardian herpes is mostly medically insignificant but that 'a lifetime of societal conditioning' around the word 'herpes' makes coping with a diagnosis difficult for many. Never in her 30 years of doing this work has a campaign to destigmatise the infection had such cut-through, Hurst said. 'As soon as you just put it out there, and people can just say 'you see, it's cold sores' and 'yeah, a lot of us have them and most of us don't know', then it stops being the big bogey man.'
RNZ News
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RNZ News
Sir Graham Henry, herpes, and an award-winning ad campaign
Sir Graham Henry. Photo: Supplied When Sir Graham Henry got a call from a young ad man asking him to front a campaign about a taboo subject, his answer was surprising. "It was quite daunting to call him up," says Sam Stuchbury, creative director and founder of Motion Sickness. "No one really wants to be in a herpes ad." Sam Stuchbury, executive creative director of Motion Sickness Photo: Supplied But Sir Graham said 'yes' to the campaign, and last week took his support of the campaign further by beaming into the prestigious Cannes Lions global ad awards with a tongue in cheek message of congratulations to New Zealand for being "the best place in the world to have herpes". The campaign was awarded two Grand Prix and four other prizes at Cannes, where they competed with more than 26,000 entries. Stuchbury tells The Detail how he nervously phoned Sir Graham, and before he could complete his pitch the former All Black coach said, "yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll do it". With Sir Graham on board, the team at Motion Sickness then approached other New Zealand "icons" including Sir Ashley Bloomfield, Sir Buck Shelford and comedian Angella Dravid. The agency had been given a brief from the Herpes Foundation: to remove the stigma from genital herpes , an infection that one in three sexually active New Zealand adults have. Foundation trustee Alaina Luxmoore says the organisation had been trying to destigmatise herpes for more than 20 years. A still image from the award-winning herpes ad. Photo: Supplied "It has never, ever, ever worked," she says. "You're up against mainstream media; being the punchline joke in movies and songs and TV; decades and decades and decades of internalised shame about herpes as being akin to some type of sexual proclivity or uncleanliness. "It felt like you could never shake the stigma." When the agency came back to Luxmoore with the campaign tagline "Make New Zealand the best place in the world to have herpes", her reaction was instant. "'Oh my gosh, that's it.' By the end of the weekend after we'd heard that line for the first time I couldn't shake it and we were giddy with excitement." Both Luxmoore and Stuchbury were shocked at the worldwide reaction, with 22 million PR impressions, a reflection of the number of people reached by the campaign in the first eight weeks, and more than 10,000 hours of educational content watched. "I didn't expect the level of admiration from overseas people and we had a lot of herpes organisations from other places around the world reaching out and saying, can I share your content, can you tell me about it. "American podcasts, English researchers who are doing their degrees on the stigma around herpes. Lots and lots of international eyes on us and I didn't expect that." For Luxmoore it was also a surprising personal experience, as she fronted for media interviews for the foundation about why destigmatisation was so important. "It was like, 'who is the person who can speak to the lived experience of herpes' and that's me. The reason I'm on the board is because I have herpes." Check out how to listen to and follow The Detail here . You can also stay up-to-date by liking us on Facebook or following us on Twitter .
Newsroom
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsroom
At the Cannes Lions, a cheeky NZ advert comes out on top
When Sir Graham Henry got a call from a young ad man asking him to front a campaign about a taboo subject, his answer was surprising. 'It was quite daunting to call him up,' says Sam Stuchbury, creative director and founder of Motion Sickness. 'No one really wants to be in a herpes ad.' Sam Stuchbury, executive creative director of Motion Sickness. Photo: Motion Sickness But Sir Graham said 'yes' to the campaign, and last week took his support further by beaming into the prestigious Cannes Lions global ad awards with a tongue-in-cheek message of congratulations to New Zealand for being 'the best place in the world to have herpes'. The campaign was awarded two Grand Prix and four other prizes at Cannes, where they competed with more than 26,000 entries. Stuchbury tells The Detail how he nervously phoned Sir Graham, and before he could complete his pitch the former All Black coach said, 'Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll do it'. With Sir Graham on board, the team at Motion Sickness then approached other New Zealand 'icons' including Sir Ashley Bloomfield, Sir Buck Shelford and comedian Angella Dravid. The agency had been given an 'impossible brief' from the Herpes Foundation: to remove the stigma from genital herpes, an infection that afflicts one in three sexually active New Zealand adults. Foundation trustee Alaina Luxmoore says the organisation had been trying to destigmatise herpes for more than 20 years. 'It has never, ever, ever worked,' she says. 'You're up against mainstream media; being the punchline joke in movies and songs and TV; decades and decades and decades of internalised shame about herpes as being akin to some type of sexual proclivity or uncleanliness. 'It felt like you could never shake the stigma.' A still image from the award-winning herpes ad. Photo: Motion Sickness When the agency came back to Luxmoore with the campaign tagline 'Make New Zealand the best place in the world to have herpes,' her reaction was instant. ''Oh my gosh, that's it.' By the end of the weekend after we'd heard that line for the first time I couldn't shake it and we were giddy with excitement.' Both Luxmoore and Stuchbury were shocked at the worldwide reaction, with 22 million PR impressions, a reflection of the number of people reached by the campaign in the first eight weeks, and more than 10,000 hours of educational content watched. 'I didn't expect the level of admiration from overseas people and we had a lot of herpes organisations from other places around the world reaching out and saying, can I share your content, can you tell me about it. American podcasts, English researchers who are doing their degrees on the stigma around herpes. Lots and lots of international eyes on us and I didn't expect that.' For Luxmoore it was also a surprising personal experience, as she fronted for media interviews for the foundation about why destigmatisation was so important. 'It was like, 'Who is the person who can speak to the lived experience of herpes' and that's me. The reason I'm on the board is because I have herpes.'
Scoop
18-06-2025
- Health
- Scoop
New Zealand Herpes Foundation's Groundbreaking Campaign Wins Prestigious Cannes Lions Grand Prix For Good
Press Release – NZ Herpes Foundation The campaign, developed in partnership with Motion Sickness (Auckland) and FINCH (Sydney), represents a paradigm shift in public health communications, demonstrating how bold creative strategies can effectively address sensitive health topics. The New Zealand Herpes Foundation (NZHF) is proud to announce that its pioneering 'Make New Zealand the Best Place in the World to Have Herpes' campaign has been awarded the Lions Health and United Nations Foundation Grand Prix for Good at the 2025 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity – one of the most prestigious awards in global advertising and creative excellence. The campaign, developed in partnership with Motion Sickness (Auckland) and FINCH (Sydney), represents a paradigm shift in public health communications, demonstrating how bold creative strategies can effectively address sensitive health topics and drive measurable behaviour change within healthcare communities and the broader public. Launched in October 2024 on Global Herpes Awareness Day, the campaign successfully challenged decades of entrenched stigma surrounding genital herpes – a condition that affects up to 80% of New Zealanders at some point in their lives. Through innovative use of humour, gamification, and celebrity endorsement, the initiative transformed a traditionally taboo medical topic into an accessible national conversation. The campaign's 'Herpes Destigmatisation Course' featured prominent New Zealand figures including Sir Ashley Bloomfield and Sir Graham Henry delivering evidence-based health education through engaging video content. A Herpes Stigma Index provided real-time global rankings, encouraging community participation and measuring progress against international benchmarks. Within eight weeks, New Zealand rose from ninth to first place on the global stigma index. The campaign generated exceptional engagement metrics including: Over 10,700 hours of educational content consumed 12.7 million impressions across social channels 69% of participants reported reduced stigma attitudes 86% felt more comfortable discussing herpes openly 81% expressed motivation to support others with HSV The campaign's success underscores the critical importance of addressing the substantial gap between medical reality and public perception of HSV. While most people (~80%) will host a Herpes Simplex Virus during their lifetime, only approximately 20% will experience recognisable symptoms. The majority remain undiagnosed because most people who host herpes simplex don't experience symptoms ( ie are asymptomatic ) creating ongoing challenges for clinical management and patient counselling. 'This campaign demonstrates the transformative power of exceptional creative communications in achieving public health outcomes that traditional medical education approaches have struggled to deliver,' said NZHF Trustee Alaina Luxmoore. 'We're immensely proud that our bold approach to destigmatising herpes has resonated not only in New Zealand but globally. The message we're conveying is simple – herpes is a common, manageable virus that doesn't define a person's worth or relationships. 'Winning the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Good validates our belief that innovative communications can break down barriers that have prevented effective clinical care and patient wellbeing for decades. However, this recognition is just the beginning. While we're officially the best place in the world to have herpes, maintaining this title requires constant education, ongoing destigmatisation efforts, and continued advancement in clinical training on best-practice herpes management and treatment guidelines. We're committed to building on this momentum to ensure healthcare providers and patients alike have access to evidence-based, stigma-free herpes care.' The campaign's international acclaim extends beyond Cannes Lions, with awards from AdFest 2025 (Gold Lotus – Entertainment), Clio Health 2025 (multiple Gold and Silver awards), D&AD (Wood Pencils), and The One Show (Bronze – Health & Wellness). This recognition highlights the campaign's effectiveness as a model for addressing sensitive health topics through creative communications. David Ohana, Chief Communications & Marketing Officer at the United Nations Foundation and Cannes Lions jury president, praised the campaign: 'This year's Lions Health Grand Prix for Good unabashedly uses humour to tackle a challenging subject and stigmatisation. Our 2025 awardee took a taboo topic and turned it on its head – showing that with a great strategy, a big, bold crazy idea, and humour for days, that anything is possible.' The campaign's success provides valuable insights for healthcare professionals addressing HSV in clinical practice. By normalising conversations about herpes and emphasising that HSV-1 and HSV-2 are essentially the same virus managed through identical clinical approaches, the initiative supports more effective patient counselling and care delivery. For healthcare providers, the campaign reinforces that societal conditioning around herpes requires recalibration. HSV-1 causes approximately 50% of genital herpes cases, often through oral-to-genital contact, yet remains socially acceptable when presenting as oral cold sores while carrying significant stigma in genital presentations. The Foundation's ongoing work will focus on supporting clinical education initiatives, advancing diagnostic understanding, and promoting evidence-based treatment guidelines. With no definitive diagnostic test available for asymptomatic individuals, the campaign's emphasis on reducing stigma becomes even more critical for effective public health management. The New Zealand Herpes Foundation is dedicated to providing accurate information, support, and advocacy for individuals affected by Herpes Simplex Virus. Through evidence-based education and innovative communications strategies, NZHF works to eliminate stigma and improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders. This includes running a herpes helpline managed by nurse counsellors. The helpline can be reached on 0508 11 12 13 from a landline or 09 433 6526 from a mobile. For more information on the helpline and NZHF's other services visit: The 'Make New Zealand the Best Place in the World to Have Herpes' campaign was supported by Sexually Transmitted Infections Education Foundation, Whānau Ora and Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa.
Khaleej Times
07-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Jael drops new EP, 'Motion Sickness'
Musician Jael, whose real name is Giovanni Jano, was recently in Dubai for the Break the Block party held at Expo City, where he also dropped his new EP, Motion Sickness. 'The EP is a return to my roots—a four-track journey into the pulse of UK bass and garage,' said Jael. 'This EP isn't just music; it's a reconnection with the sounds I grew up on, reimagined through a fresh lens.' The record's eponymously named song has a skippy sub-heavy UKG beat by Jael while Ghanaian-born rapper Michael Ekow spits fire. Jael, who is a Moluccan artist, also features on his EP the choppy dubstep track D33P, bassline-laden Rude Boy, and garage track You Be There. He said: 'Since I was a kid I always listened to UK Garage and 2step which is originated in the UK. My cousins and uncles would give me mixed tapes by the likes of DJ Van Bellen, MJ Cole, Groove Chronicles, DJ EZ and many more. Growing up listening to that sound definitely shaped my musical taste and I even started deejaying it when I was 14 years old." At home, the electronic music artist grew up with the influences of Moluccan Folk, Gospel, Soul, Funk, and Japanese Funk. He debuted in 2021 with Half As Much; his collab with Juls on Close to Me, won him even more fans. His sound has evolved over the years, and after a run at RnB, he turned his tunes electronic. 'My musical taste has always been broad, so I don't see this as a change but rather a fusion of my soulful roots with electronic and bass-driven sounds. I've been incorporating this blend into my DJ sets, and I'm excited to create even more music that brings these two worlds together,' he says. Jael, who has since gone on tour for his new EP, says of the UAE: 'I can't wait to be back! The only sad side of this show is that I literally go in and out of the country since i have a really tight schedule. What I really want to experience is the energy of the crowd during this amazing show.' EP Motion Sickness is now available for streaming on Spotify. Things to do in the UAE from Feb 7-9, 2025
