Graphic

Special Group 202 Emotional Support Bits

Finalist
2025 Design Communication
Credits
  • Pou Auaha / Creative Directors
    Tony Bradbourne, Mark Forgan, Steve Hansen, David Shirley, JP Twaalfhoven
  • Pou Rautaki / Strategic Leads
    Rory Gallery, Bethany Omeri
  • Ngā Kaimahi / Team Members
    Isabella Griffiths, Jess Skyler, Amy Williemse, Kelly Grindle, Eleanor Ashdown, Mikayla Ngare, Natalie Sheers, Scott Coldham, Matt Barnes, Bronwyn Mildon, Therese Bielawa, Gabrielle Eggels, Liam Keaney, Hamish Kuka, Gavin LeClaire, Julius Bellett
  • Kaitautoko / Contributors
    Steve Boniface, Denise Duane, Dave Black, Shaun Fitzgibbon, Lisa Barton, Monaleen Cabaret
  • Client
    Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa
Description:

Aotearoa faced an uncomfortable truth: 62% of us 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 752% more engagement across SWA’s channels). And comfier exploring their sexual health options (upping visits to SWA’s website by 65%). Making the uncomfortable, comfier than ever.