One of the keys to connecting with consumers in a very meaningful way is through emotion. Finding that gem within some brands like cars, life insurance, or puppy food, is quite easy. But when it comes to infectious diseases, not so much. Or so people think.

Fear is a very strong emotion. How many of us have sat with our hands over our eyes as the babysitter walked through a darkened house in a movie all while the killer clown was hiding in the closet. We knew it, she didn’t, and that’s scary. We mean, c’mon, clowns.

One of the challenges when it came to helping people understand the dangers of Zika was that the disease is transferred by the bite of a mosquito. Mosquitos, for the most part, do not instill fear into anyone.

So, the creative team at OH Partners decided to make the mosquito as big as life. We sketched out a mosquito head resembling the mosquito that carries the disease, the Aedes aegypti.

Then we designed ads, billboards and posters with “Mosquito Man” positioned in places where he would be — in this case, on vacation – and then asked the question, “Is Zika on your honeymoon?”

We selected a honeymoon because we were targeting people who would be most likely to travel to countries where they could contract the disease. An additional danger is that Zika is also transferred through sexual activity, so with this couple shot in the pool, it’s a dual message.

But great work doesn’t happen without a client who is willing to take a risk. Willing to do something so different from the category to get noticed. And we’re happy to report the risk was worth it. Awareness of the dangers of Zika among the demographic was very high – and Mosquito Man was well-received. He makes appearances in schools and at trade shows and of course is available for selfies.

We’re proud to have our work recognized by such a venerable magazine as National Geographic and we’re pleased the work will continue its main mission: to help keep people safe.