NoMoPox Monkeypox PSA from Impero

Independent creative agency Impero today announces a new sticker campaign to raise awareness on Monkeypox’ risk factors and educate people about the measures they can take to reduce exposure to the virus.

Monkeypox is not going away. You may not be seeing it so much in headlines these days, but 70% of all UK cases are still appearing in London.

The LGBTQI+ community has been disproportionately affected – not helped by the UK media pushing a narrative full of stigma, and a slow 2nd dose vaccine roll out. In fact, the Financial Times recently reported that UK Health Secretary, Therese Coffey, rejected expert advice to purchase more vaccines, which has left experts concerned about the UK’s preparedness for resurgences of Monkeypox in the future. All of this has led to many not wanting to seek advice or treatment due to fear of judgement.

Impero, an East London based creative industry, wanted to cut through the judgemental tones of mainstream media and provide a PSA campaign in locations where those who need support most can access it – judgement free.

They created a sticker campaign and took over the toilet stalls of bars and clubs across Hackney, with a lighthearted and judgement-free campaign, helping people to recognise the symptoms, self-diagnose and, most importantly, gain instant support discreetly through their phone using a QR code directly to the NHS support page.

PSAs often have a stuffiness to them and come across as sterile, thus often glanced over and ignored. With the media landscape being a heady mix of judgement and scaremongering, we wanted to cut through with a campaign that speaks directly to the most-impacted community. The campaign, created by creative agency Impero, aims to debunk a lot of misinformation spreading online, and aims to get our community looking at proper outlets for advice during a really crucial time.

The campaign features cheeky illustrations, photography and language that aims to catch eyes and have a bit of wink to them. The design was approached using imagery that celebrates the community, showcasing queer spaces, and local nightlife that’s been put in jeopardy with the spread of monkeypox – mindfully leaning into the funness of the local queer community. The photography spotlights work from local artists and creatives like Tyler Kelly (@imtylerkelly) – that accurately depicts the joy and essence of London’s vibrant local queer scene, as well as aiming to give hope that, if treated with urgency and care, our community will soon return normal times.

Alec Carluen, Senior Creative x Trends & Culture, Impero, said: “We want to speak to our community how we would speak to our friends about news like this. As a creative who comes from the LGBTQIA+ community, we’re often talked down to and we wanted to come up with a campaign that proudly speaks like us while also getting important information across.”

Source: Impero

  Advertising, Impero, Marketing, Monkeypox, UK