Sex is awkward to talk about, baby. But there's no sense in holding back when speaking up could mean saving lives.

The New York City Health Department is on a mission to make sure that everyone has access to free condoms and sexual health support. In an effort to market the NYC branded condoms and empower New Yorkers, I directed an integrated campaign titled "Play Safe NYC."

After a hefty amount of research, my strategy was to target the message to Women. Mostly due to the fact that condom campaigns are typically all targeted towards Men, and because very few Women ever carry condoms themselves. On average, Women are not raised to be prepared. So, this strategy flipped the script and empowered New York Women to *own* their choice and proudly carry condoms. By eliminating the cultural shame typically associated with this decision and maintaining a playful, sexy tone, the campaign positively supported SAFE sex and informed New Yorkers of products available to them.

Play on.