Fanciest thou a thrice-way poster

This poster was produced by the New Zealand AIDS Foundation (now known as Burnett Foundation Aotearoa) in its campaign against rising rates of syphilis.

Syphilis is usually transmitted through sexual contact with an infected person, and can also be spread from an infected mother to their baby during pregnancy.

Syphilis rates have been increasing in New Zealand since 2012, particularly in men who have sex with men (MSM). Syphilis rates in heterosexual men and women have also been increasing.

The New Zealand AIDS Foundation partnered with Durex and advertising company FCB to blend contemporary hook-up lines with Shakespearean-styled language and 16th century imagery for their campaign, 'Better safe than syphy'.

The key message that syphilis was back from the Dark Ages was expressed visually and linguistically through a 'clash of eras'. The look of the image was achieved in collaboration with the Pop-up Globe Theatre and stylist Lucy Jane Senior.

Though clever in its layering, the campaign may have been too obscure and ‘busy’ to have made the desired impact.