Ogilvy UK and Relate target the rise of STIs in later life sex
Leading relationships charity, Relate unveils a gardening centre campaign that celebrates the UK’s two favourite passions, as PHE research reveals STIs among the over 65s is at an all-time high. The campaign rolls out nationwide on digital OOH screens and in garden centres during National Gardening Week.
Relate and Ogilvy UK have created a series of vegetable-themed condom packet designs, looking much like vegetable seeds, which will be displayed in garden centres. With a nod to the most popular cheeky vegetable emojis, the range features aubergines, plums, courgettes, onions and avocados – forming a fully sustainable condom collection that can even be planted in a pot to biodegrade. The playful, vegan, tongue-in-cheek illustrated condoms were showcased at the family-run garden centre Finchley Nurseries. By bringing the sexual health debate to an unexpected environment like a garden centre, the campaign will help break down taboos and get people talking about later life sex.
The campaign launches nationwide today across digital Out of Home screens in partnership with Clear Channel UK. The billboards feature close-up shots of suggestive vegetable seed packets under the banner of ‘The Hornicultural Society’.
Jules Chalkley, chief ECD, Ogilvy UK, comments: “The audience we are talking to don’t realise they have this problem. They’re not looking for it. They’re not listening for it. And they are certainly not going into High Street chemists to ask about it. So, partnering with Relate, we decided to crash the number two favourite weekend activity into the number one. We wanted to use the love of gardening to solve the problem of STI’s.”
This is the third instalment in Relate’s ‘Let’s talk the joy of later life sex’ campaign which aims to tackle the stigma around this all-too-often unspoken subject. STI infection has more than doubled in the past ten years among UK adults aged 65 and older. The sustainable limited-edition condoms, supplied by HANX, are available through the Relate website.
Sarah Milsom, director of communications and engagement at Relate, says: “We’re delighted to be working with Ogilvy again to reignite our award-winning ‘Let’s talk the joy of later life sex’ campaign. Sex and intimacy can be important at any age so there mustn’t be a taboo around talking about safe sex in later life. Using the unexpected backdrop of a garden centre and focussing on gardening-themed inuendo helps to grab attention and engage people of all ages, encouraging important conversations and breaking down taboos.”
The campaign is a follow up to the award-winning 2021 campaign ‘Let’s Talk The Joy of Sex’. The original campaign saw renowned British photographer, Rankin, shoot five older couples and one woman in their most intimate settings and explored everything from long-term love to new adventures, tender intimacy to the more risqué. The posters won countless awards and empowered everyone to think and talk about sex and intimacy as they grow older. The follow-up OOH posters and condom seed packets challenge the accepted norms of later life love.
Jules Chalkley, chief ECD, Ogilvy UK, says: “The simple fact is it that many of us need intimacy now more than ever, and communication is the bedrock of healthy and happy relationships. As a society we are obsessed with love and affection, it can be easy to forget that simple authentic conversation is what defines connection, happiness and intensity.”
Relate is England and Wales’ largest provider of relationship support for individuals, couples and families of all ages, backgrounds, sexual orientation, or gender identity, providing counselling, sex therapy, mediation, training courses and online self-help. Safe sex lies at the heart of healthy relationships and these ads remind everyone that happy relationships are driven by authenticity, honesty and humour. Relate offers counselling, information, mediation and support to individuals, couples and families. They also provide expert training for relationship support practitioners, sex therapy and a range of online information and self-help. Find out more at relate.org.uk.
AGENCY
CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER: Dede Laurentino
CHIEF EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR : Jules Chalkley
CREATIVE DIRECTORS : Nicola Wood, Andy Forrest
DEPUTY ECD OF DESIGN : Luke Ridgway
MANAGING PARTNER : Katharine Easteal
ACCOUNT DIRECTOR : Erica Wood
CLIENT PARTNER PR : Rachael Coomber-Nolan
SENIOR CREATIVE EDITOR : Sara McAlpine
ACCOUNT DIRECTORS PR : Jennie Halliday, Erica Cohen
HEAD OF OFFLINE PRODUCTION : Justin Cairns
SENIOR TV PRODUCER : Kim Parrett
SENIOR PRODUCERS : Sue Streatfield, Heather Hart
ILLUSTRATOR : Marta Zafra
ART BUYERS : Jodi Woodhouse-Ward, Ross Walker
CLEAR CHANNEL PROJECT LEAD : Jason Jarvis
CLIENT
SARAH MILSOM : Director of Communications & Engagement, Relate
SARAH OSMIK : Media & Communications Manager, Relate
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