Finalist
Putting Women at the Centre of HIV
Summary of work
In the UK, women make up a third of people living with HIV — yet public health messaging has long centred men, leaving women under‑diagnosed and overlooked. Our campaign challenged this by reclaiming “HIV,” replacing the “I” with eight real women living with or impacted by the virus.
In partnership with Sophia Forum, we showcased eight women of different ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds — photographed by gender‑equality advocate Sane Seven. Their own words led the narrative. On set, we built physical H and V structures for them to stand within, making the act of reclamation something they actively shaped.
The campaign reached 133M+ people, was endorsed by six leading HIV organisations, featured on the UN Women website, and was linked in the UK Government’s HIV Action Plan. But the most powerful statement of impact came from the women themselves:
“Who knew a photo shoot would have such a lasting effect. Empowered is an understatement.” — Sam
“This is the most important campaign in the world today.” — Iris
Judges’ comments
‘Putting Women at the Centre of HIV’ showed great effectiveness and great metrics. The visual was simple and impactful and it brought the entry to life without being too heavy. It did well at getting good coverage. Judges look forward to seeing it develop.
