2021 Winner
SilverOnline Film Campaign
BronzeIntegrated Campaign Led by PR
Casey House
"HIV+ Episodes"
Bensimon Byrne / Narrative / OneMethod
"HIV+ Episodes"
Bensimon Byrne / Narrative / OneMethod
People who are HIV positive continue to face stigma, with 65 million North Americans worrying they would be shunned by friends, family and co-workers for revealing their positive status. Yet no mainstream television program has ever tackled the issue.
So, as part of its multi-year campaign to fight stigma, HIV/AIDS hospital Casey House re-edited scenes from two popular shows – Friends and The Office – using voice impersonators and actor look-alikes to create new episodes in which the TV characters learn they are HIV positive. Without frst obtaining rights to the content, “Losing Friends” and “The Toxic Office” launched worldwide on SmashStigma.ca and generated over 200 media stories within 24 hours.
No legal action was even taken by the creators of The Office, and the episode remains live today. But when the creators of Friends issued a cease and desist order, the agencies behind the work – Bensimon Byrne, Narrative and OneMethod – made that a part of the story, bringing further positive coverage for the campaign.
So, as part of its multi-year campaign to fight stigma, HIV/AIDS hospital Casey House re-edited scenes from two popular shows – Friends and The Office – using voice impersonators and actor look-alikes to create new episodes in which the TV characters learn they are HIV positive. Without frst obtaining rights to the content, “Losing Friends” and “The Toxic Office” launched worldwide on SmashStigma.ca and generated over 200 media stories within 24 hours.
No legal action was even taken by the creators of The Office, and the episode remains live today. But when the creators of Friends issued a cease and desist order, the agencies behind the work – Bensimon Byrne, Narrative and OneMethod – made that a part of the story, bringing further positive coverage for the campaign.
Credits
Casey House HIV+ Episodes - CREDITSECD: Joseph Bonnici
CD: David Mueller
CD: Gints Bruveris
Writer: Matthew Valenzano
Art Director: Ana Segurajauregui Sanchez
Designer: Ana Segurajauregui Sanchez
Strategist: Daniella Perruccio (Director of Media Strategy)
Account Service: Will Dell (Sr. Business Lead)
Project Director Jordan Lane (PMO Director)
Project Manager: Ashley Belfast (Program Director)
Media Director: Eugene Makhouleen (Digital Analytics Director)
Social Strategist: Rebecca Milner (Community Manager)
Media Supervisor: Karensa Williams
Agency Producer: Michelle Pilling
Narrative
Managing Director: Sarah Spence
Creative Director: Debbie Chan
Associate Creative Director: Jessie Sorell
Art Director: Fiorella Martinez
Account Director: Lauren Baswick
Senior Account Manager: Denise Roy
Account Manager: Tony Koutoulous
Account Manager: Jackie Kleinberg
Account Manager: Jessica Leroux
Associate Account Manager: Sarah Santarossa
Account Coordinator: Aaron Nilsen
Account Coordinator: Kaitlin Copp
OneMethod
ACD: John Hotts
XD Director: Kurt Krumme
Designer: Cam Harapiak
Developer: Dov Atlin
Project Coordinator: Stephanie Niro
Project Coordinator: Naomi Sklar
Production House: Button Factory
Director: Dan Kelly
Line Producer: Dan Rankin
DOP: Mikhail Petrenko
Editor: Tim Pienta