STI sniffer dog spoof to raise youth sexual health awareness
A mockumentary portraying the officers and dogs of the STI Detection Unit has been released by Randox Laboratories and Langland to encourage viewers to get checked out - before it’s too late.
The four-minute film takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to STIs by shooting, in the documentary style, the fictional STI unit featuring the hounds Radar, Jazz, Frisbee who have a habit of getting in about the crotches of the suspected infected.
The ad was launched with the intention of humorously prompting 25-34 year olds to think about their sexual health before illnesses are exposed in the most embarrassing fashion - the nose of a vigilant sniffer mutt.
The campaign was produced in partnership with Hungry Man by comedy directors Chaplin and Forbes. It was shared across YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.
Chris Henry, marketing manager at Randox, said: “Our goal was to engage a whole new audience of potential customers who may be too embarrassed to get a sexual health check.
"We believe this campaign does exactly that, communicating the shock of being exposed in public, but doing it with humour, in a way people can engage with, without feeling they are publically declaring they have an STI."
Andrew Spurgeon, executive creative director at Langland, added: "The idea that trained sniffer dogs are able to detect STIs in the general public is not as far-fetched as it sounds, with some dogs already helping to spot the early symptoms of other diseases such as cancer.
"Showing how uncomfortable it could be to be publicly exposed as harbouring an infection by the STI Detection Unit, perfectly demonstrates the benefits of testing discreetly at home with Confidante."
Since it was released on 4 December, the clip has mustered over 47,000 views.