Getting people more comfortable with the uncomfortable—

A whopping 62% of Kiwi keep sexual health concerns to ourselves. Because of shame, stigma and discomfort. Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa (formally old-school sounding ‘Family Planning’) was on a new-school mission to get us comfier chatting all things sexual health. Out loud, in your face, sans stigma.

We got people talking through the ultimate comfort tool: Emotional Support Bits. Riffing off the Emotional Support Items raging over TikTok (like water bottles, teddy bears, pickles), these huggable, squeezable plushies were designed to diffuse tension, and ignite the chat. Each bit was a bespoke one-off, based on real peoples’ sketches of the bits they felt most comfy with. Kicked off by influencers then opened to the public to win their own, hundreds of bits were sketched and submitted. Then dozens sewn, stitched and sent all over Aotearoa.

The bits got people way comfier, way chattier, and way more open about sexual health. Making people comfier chatting over social (with 750% more engagement across SWA’s channels). Comfier exploring options (upping visits to SWA’s website by 65%). And comfier talking to the pros (boosting clinic appointments). Making the uncomfortable, comfier than ever.