2022 Gold Design or Art Direction

Agency: Ogilvy UK

Client: Relate

Campaign Name: The Hornicultural Society

Campaign Overview

With the biggest rise in STIs among over-65s how could they be convinced that condoms aren't just for stopping unwanted pregnancies, but also for stopping unwanted diseases?

Strategy

When it comes to advice this age group can be a hard-to-reach audience. Research for the campaign showed that when they're not in the bedroom, they're in the garden. The work borrowed cues from their second favourite pastime - gardening - to talk to them about safety for their favourite one: sex.

Creativity

The team created The Hornicultural Society, a tongue-in-cheek invention combining sex and gardening. The creative featured limited-edition condoms with packaging designed to look like innocent seed packets sold in any garden centre.

The message was serious but delivered in a disruptive, humorous way. It used beautifully illustrated botanical designs on seed packets with great attention to detail, to appear as if they'd come from The Royal Horticultural Society, but also to include sexually suggestive yet tasteful drawings that resembled vegetables. Attention-grabbing posters and direct mail were added to the mix.

Results

The campaign featured in more than 200 media outlets worldwide in its first five days, including UK national news channels, Good Morning Britain and Loose Women.

The initiative generated half a billion opportunities to see in earned media; 1.6 billion impressions; and, most importantly, 95% of single pensioners said they would now use condoms.

The Team

Ogilvy UK - Andre Laurentino, Chief Creative Officer - Andy Forrest, Creative Director - Nicola Wood, Creative Director - Jules Chalkley, Executive Creative Director - Luke Ridgway, Deputy ECD of Design - Katharine Easteal, Managing Partner - Erica Wood, Account Director - Rachael Coomber-Nolan, Client Partner PR - Sara McAlpine, Senior Creative Editor PR - Jennie Halliday, Account Director PR - Erica Cohen, Account Director PR - Justin Cairns, Head of Offline Production - Kim Parrett, Senior TV Producer - Sue

Streatfield, Senior Producer - Heather Hart, Senior Producer - Jodi Woodhouse-Ward, Art Buyer - Ross Walker, Art Buyer

Relate - Sarah Milsom, Director of Communications and Engagement - Sarah Osmik, Media and Communications Manager

Clear Channel - Jason Jarvis, Clear Channel Project Lead

Freelance - Marta Zafra, Illustrator