2025 Winner

Casey House (a Toronto-based specialty hospital for people living with HIV) launched the fifth edition of its global “#SmashStigma” campaign – this time targeting perceptions within the healthcare system itself. Despite medical training, healthcare professionals can unknowingly perpetuate stigma, causing many HIV-positive individuals to avoid care. To address this, the “Stigmavir” campaign introduced a fictional drug that “treats” healthcare providers’ unconscious bias. A parody ad set to “I Will Survive,” along with toolkits, OOH ads and direct outreach, invited professionals to create stigma-free spaces. The campaign generated 13 million earned impressions, 1,200 toolkit downloads and support from Toronto’s public health leadership.

Credits

Creative Agency: Bensimon Byrne
Chief Creative Officer: Joseph Bonnici
Creative Director: Gints Bruveris, David Mueller
Writers: Kyle Simons, Nate Houseley
Designer: Feilin Fu
Business Lead: Jessica Cupola
Project Manager: Sandra Morales-Macedo
Agency Producer: Michelle Pilling
Production House: Untitled Films
Executive Producer: Tom Evelyn
Director: Mark Gilbert
Director of Photography: Kris Belchevski
Line Producer: Adam Rodness

Casting: Mann Casting

Post-Production Offline/Online: Button Factory
Producer: Michelle Pilling
Offline Editor: Tim Pienta
Online Editor: Jacques Parys

Transfer: Artjail
Colourist: Clinton Homuth

Audio House: Berkeley Inc.
Producer: Tyna Maerzke
Director: Jared Kuemper
Engineer: Jared Kuemper

Performers:
Alexandra Kane
Scott Turner
Heather McGuigan
Jessica Myrie
Michelle Yu
Brenden Woodrow
Alex Gonzales
Bernard Austrie
Henry Tran
Jennifer Skidmore
Matthew Cuff
Jahleel Whyte
Sung Eun Kim
Dancers:
Alessia Gerasolo
Austin Goodier
Christopher Nguyen
Christopher Pismarov
Jenna Shortt
Lindsay Aquin
Lindsay Fuentes
Marvel Itemuagbor
Nina Li
Sacha Pena
Tre Williams
Zoe Edwards