Nicole Byer and Devon Walker Make HIV Prevention Sexy in Majority and Gilead Sciences’ “Up to Date” Campaign

Creative agency Majority has launched “Up to Date,” a new campaign for Gilead Sciences’ Care For The Culture platform starring comedian-actors Nicole Byer and Devon Walker.

The campaign aims to make HIV prevention feel more personal, relevant and actionable for Black women by meeting them in authentic moments of dating, intimacy and self-advocacy. The work is part of Gilead’s broader Care For The Culture platform that will run across online video, social media, streaming and linear audio, digital display, experiential activations and streaming video. The campaign will appear across platforms including YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, Snapchat, Peacock, Tubi, NBCUniversal, iHeartMedia, Complex, BET, Essence and Ebony.

At the centre of the campaign is a film that follows a Black woman as she considers a potential hookup, balancing attraction with the responsibility of protecting her health. Throughout the story, her internal dialogue guides her through questions about HIV, prevention options and self-advocacy. The creative extends through a series of shorter films, social content, audio, digital display and podcast integrations.

Nicole Byer and Devon Walker serve as the woman’s competing inner voices, bringing humour and personality to the conversation as she works through questions around desire, prevention and self-care. The campaign addresses a longstanding challenge: Although Black women continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV, they are often under represented in public health messaging. According to Gilead, systemic inequities, barriers to care, HIV stigma and gaps between perceived and actual risk can make prevention feel distant, clinical or intended for someone else.

Rather than relying on traditional educational messaging alone, “Up to Date” uses authentic storytelling to normalise conversations about HIV prevention. By grounding HIV prevention in familiar, everyday moments, the campaign reflects Black women’s lived experiences while reinforcing that caring for your sexual health is an act of confidence, agency and self-respect. Inspired by the familiar late-night “you up?” text, “Up to Date” reframes HIV prevention as part of preparing for intimacy. Instead of relying on clinical messaging, the campaign reframes HIV prevention as a natural part of dating, suggesting that the sexiest thing you can bring to a hookup is being up to date with your HIV status.

“‘Up to Date’ is about recognising that protecting your health is just as important as protecting your peace,” said Asmirh Davis, Majority president. “By meeting Black women in authentic moments of dating, intimacy and decision-making, we’re helping reframe HIV prevention as an empowering choice instead of a difficult conversation.”

The campaign encourages Black women to understand their prevention options, know their HIV status and make informed decisions about their health. Through familiar dating scenarios, the work seeks to position prevention as part of caring for yourself.

“Too often, HIV prevention has been framed as something that’s meant for someone else,” said Ashley Gildea, vice president, U.S. Business Unit Head at Gilead Sciences. “With ‘Up to Date,’ we’re changing that by bringing the conversation into the everyday moments where decisions about our health and relationships are actually made. Every woman deserves to have the information, confidence and resources to advocate for her health without stigma or judgement.”

This is a meaningful moment for HIV prevention. In the U.S., approximately 700 new HIV cases occur every week, and Black communities, especially Black women, continue to be disproportionately impacted by the epidemic.

“Through the ‘Up to Date’ program, our goal is to capture attention using relatable dating and relationship scenarios that will resonate with the Black community,” said Gildea. “We hope it sparks conversations about HIV prevention, empowers Black women and men to make informed decisions about their relationships and their health, get tested for HIV today and talk to their provider about the most effective oral and injectable PrEP options.”

The initiative reflects Gilead’s broader commitment to advancing health equity by improving access to prevention information and ensuring Black women see themselves represented in health messaging with agency, dignity and respect. By centering Black voices and lived experiences throughout the creative process, the campaign encourages audiences to get tested, learn about PrEP and talk with healthcare providers and partners.

Source: Gilead Sciences

  Advocacy, Agency, Campaign, Gilead Sciences, Healthcare, HIV, MAJORITY, online video, Prevention, Social Media