INDICAID turns HPV controversy into call for sexual health accountability

INDICAID has launched a new out-of-home (OOH) campaign in Hong Kong that challenges assumptions around sexual honesty and personal responsibility, as it looks to raise awareness of HPV testing and sexual health management.

The campaign, developed by Hong Kong-based biotech company Phase Scientific, comes in the wake of a recent report by local investigative programme Scoop, which alleged that a basketball coach concealed his HPV status from multiple sexual partners. According to the report, four women were infected with the virus, sparking public discussion around sexual health disclosure and accountability.

Positioning HPV testing as a form of self-protection, the campaign highlights the limitations of relying solely on partners to disclose their sexual health status. The initiative promotes INDICAID's HPV urine test, a non-invasive screening solution powered by Phase Scientific's proprietary PHASiFY technology.

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At the centre of the campaign are a series of provocative Chinese-language headlines designed to prompt reflection on trust and transparency in intimate relationships.

One execution reads, "I have not had any tests for HPV and STIs. Don't worry!" before key characters are struck through to transform the statement into "I don't have HPV and STIs. Don't worry!" Another features the line, "We've been together for so long, I share everything with you, including HPV," with the phrase "including HPV" crossed out to create a seemingly affectionate declaration.

The creative aims to demonstrate how small omissions can fundamentally alter the truth, particularly in situations where sexual relationships are involved.

The campaign is anchored by the tagline "Check your health, love yourself" (驗身自愛), a play on the Chinese phrase "Live a clean life, love yourself" (潔身自愛). The platform is also expected to serve as the foundation for a broader HPV awareness campaign set to launch later this year.

According to INDICAID, HPV remains one of the most common sexually transmitted infections, with approximately 80% of sexually active individuals expected to contract the virus at some point in their lives. The company added that around 90% of infected individuals show no symptoms, underscoring the importance of regular screening.

The campaign launched on 20 June and will run until 17 July across Hong Kong. Media placements include 12-sheet and four-sheet displays at key MTR stations, tram shelter takeovers in Admiralty, street posters, programmatic digital banners and contextual digital advertisements linked to sex-related news content.

“Trust is the cornerstone of any intimate relationship, but even the strongest trust must be backed up by responsible action, which we define as sexual health management. The recent Scoop case is a powerful reminder that trust alone is not enough to safeguard your health — proactive steps must be taken," said Ellen Yau, head of business, consumer healthcare at Phase Scientific International. 

She added, "We wanted to build the campaign around this key insight, empowering individuals to take charge of their wellbeing through convenient at-home HPV and STI urine tests, and to make regular testing a natural and confident part of their personal healthcare routine.”

In tandem, Terry Tsang, director of Narrow Door, the agency behind the campaign, said, “Our intention was not to label any group or pass judgement on any lifestyle choices. We simply wanted to drive home the point that expecting a potential sex partner to act in good faith and offer full disclosure of their health status is not a very good self-protection strategy. The promise of sex can be a powerful motive for editing the image you present to others. Naked bodies are not always preceded by the naked truth.”

The campaign comes as brands and healthcare organisations continue to push for greater awareness of HPV prevention and screening across Asia. Last year, pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme partnered with IPG Mediabrands Taiwan to launch its "Together we prevent HPV" campaign, aimed at challenging misconceptions that HPV prevention is solely a women's issue.

The initiative was informed by research showing that many women wanted their partners to get vaccinated against HPV but were reluctant to raise the topic due to social stigma. The study also found that many women viewed HPV awareness among men as a sign of responsibility, highlighting the growing emphasis on shared accountability in sexual health.

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