Havas Life Manchester celebrate alongside industry heavyweights at the Creative Circle Awards, held at London’s iconic art deco events venue, The Troxy.

Havas Life Manchester, part of the award-winning Havas Lynx Group of healthcare communications agencies, picked up a bronze for its striking ‘HIV Has Changed’ live installation campaign, in the category of Design For Positive Change.

The Creative Circle is the longest running advertising awards body in the UK, attracting the crème de la crème of agencies and in-house creatives nationwide. The level of work shortlisted features some of the best and biggest creative campaigns of the consumer world. As one of the only healthcare agencies represented, a win in the Design for Positive Change category is a great achievement for the Havas Lynx Group.

The striking botanical installation was devised to help raise awareness of “HIV Has Changed” – a national HIV awareness campaign developed with specialist HIV pharmaceutical company, ViiV Healthcare.

Spelling out the letters “HIV”, Havas Life Manchester worked with Urban Planters to create a 24 ft, living, breathing plant structure on Manchester’s bustling New Cathedral Street. Made from thousands of real plants and flowers, the structure aimed to challenge people’s perceptions and highlighted the fact that HIV has indeed changed thanks to dramatic advances in treatment.. The letters were alive, growing and thriving, much like a person living with HIV can be.

Staffed by over 40 volunteers from national HIV charities who live with the condition, they provided advice, experience as well as living proof of how HIV Has Changed. It is no longer a death sentence, but rather a manageable condition.

Tom Richards, Havas Lynx CCO, said:

“Winning at the Creative Circle Awards for a 2^nd year running, and to have been shortlisted against some of the best consumer work in the industry, continues to show the importance of creativity within the world of healthcare and the impact it can have on improving outcomes.

“This particular campaign was one that made passers-by stop, stare and start conversations.The idea for the campaign is simple. HIV has changed. This campaign served to tackle remaining stigma and preconceptions that unfortunately still exist regarding the virus.

“We are delighted to have won at the Creative Circle Awards and we will keep using creativity to change peoples lives for the better.”