Durex debunks STI myths in 'Unforgettable Nights' campaign
Durex is tackling soaring rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among young people in its latest global campaign which seeks to educate them on the perils of unprotected sex.
Durex debunks STI myths with Unforgettable Nights messaging
Unforgettable Nights premieres in Spain, where it is estimated that a quarter of adolescents will contract an STI before they finish high school, with a hard-hitting advert challenging young people to create good memories not bad ones on their nights out.
Devised by Havas London, the campaign comprises four films, each targeting different sex and demographics to get the message across to as many people as possible and is complemented by associated digital activity, out of home and an online education hub.
Lynsey Atkin, creative director at Havas London, said: “STIs aren’t a pleasant topic, but they’re an important one in the age of invincibility. Rather than dramatise a generic warning that young people tend to tune out, we wanted to tell first-person stories from a place of relatable hindsight. The blur and flashbacks of a great night out eventually cut back to present day; where it’s more about regret than reminiscing. Because nothing feels much worse than remembering how it could have all gone differently – no matter how old you are.”
Each film follows the same template of a young person enjoying a night out with friends, culminating in unprotected sex with your best mate’s sister, the girl who came back to town, a friend’s cousin and the hot guy from college – all leading to a subsequent STI diagnosis.
By employing relatable characters the campaign seeks to disprove the myth that STIs can only be caught from strangers with all of us at potential risk, concluding with the strapline ‘You decide. Use a condom’.
