Managing HIV has been achieved through some brilliant campaigns by Australian LGBTQ community health organisation, ACON, and the availability of PReP. But for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM), the spectre of syphilis is growing more and more dangerous.
Think HQ has created Do It, After You Do It, a campaign for Emen8, a collaborative health information platform run by ACON and Thorne Harbour Health, commissioned in response to escalating syphilis rates that prompted Australia’s chief medical officer to declare the infection a communicable disease incident of national significance earlier this year.
The campaign targets the GBMSM audience specifically and was developed following targeted community focus groups conducted by Think HQ, that revealed both curiosity and confusion about the protective after-sex antibiotic, Doxy-PEP’s safety, efficacy, and credibility. These insights informed the campaign’s approach to build awareness and education around rising syphilis rates and brings antibiotic Doxy-PEP and its safe use as an evidence-based prevention tool into mainstream conversation through pairing health messaging with humour and authentic storytelling – to cut through the seriousness of the topic with messaging that remains sex-positive, non-stigmatising, and medically sound.
Recognising the cultural and linguistic diversity across GBMSM audiences, Think HQ translated and transcreated the animation into Mandarin, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Thai – making Do It, After You Do It one of the first Australian STI prevention campaigns to use community-driven, in-language animation as both an educational and behavioural-change tool. Each character represents a relatable persona and across cultures and within the community – from partygoers to partners – to deliver vital information clearly in a cheeky yet trustworthy tone across all creative assets, spearheaded by a 60-second hero film.
Each language version was developed by paired transcreators, bilingual members of the GBMSM community who adapted slang, humour, and tone. In-language voiceover artists from within the community ensured credibility and authenticity. The result is not a series of translations, but reimagined versions that speak naturally to each audience that makes a sensitive sexual health topic approachable, engaging and medically credible.
Jonathan Weiss, Emen8 / ACON principal planner, stated, “Syphilis continues to be a growing concern within our communities, and campaigns like this are critical in helping people access accurate, judgment-free information about their sexual health. Doxy-PEP is a promising new tool, but awareness and understanding are still catching up. Working with Think HQ allowed us to create messages that truly resonate – grounded in community insight, cultural understanding and a tone that empowers rather than shames. It’s been fantastic collaborating with a team that brings both creative flair and deep respect for the communities we serve.”
Blake Mason, Think HQ Head of PR and audience inclusion, added, “This project exemplifies what an integrated, purpose-driven agency can deliver when every discipline works in sync – from research and creative to community consultation, production, strategy and language services. The public health conversation around Doxy-PEP evolved rapidly, and our team was able to adapt just as quickly. By working hand-in-hand with ACON and Thorne Harbour Health, we ensured the campaign stayed factual, inclusive and timely. It’s a great example of what happens when creativity and community collaboration come together for impact.”
The full campaign is running across paid channels Google Search, Google Display, YouTube, Meta (Facebook + Instagram), Grindr, Scruff, Jack’d, Squirt, Recon, Reddit, Pornhub, and Sniffies, and on Emen8’s social channels including Instagram, Facebook and a YouTube animation content hub. Earned components are focused on LGBTQ+ media and community/health stakeholders.
Credits:
Client: Emen8 (ACON & Thorne Harbour Health)
Principal Planner: Jonathan Weiss
Project Lead: Chris Williams
National Campaign Planner: Tony Siprom
Creative Agency: Think HQ
Founder & Managing Director: Jen Sharpe
Creative Director: Wellison D’Assuncao
Copywriter: Ben Ryan
Art Director: Donna Kalish
Graphic Designer: Phoebe Lim
Sydney Director: Sarah Wood
Project Director: Blake Mason
Strategy Director: Waqas Tahir
Senior Integrated Producer: Callum Yeo
Animation: Steve Hacklin
Sound Engineer: Adam Dixon-Galea
Language Services: Anna Wang, Inma Cortes, Yuning Wang
V/O: Aunty Jonny (English), Nicolas Amador Ojeda (Spanish), Pongpich Panya (Thai), Weilson Chang (Mandarin), Do Hieu Nghia (Vietnamese)
