Safe Is Sexy: Adapting Boston’s Public Health Message for Multilingual Communities

Partnering with creative agency the STUDIO NYC, BPHC sought a campaign that would resonate across Boston’s diverse communities and normalize conversations about safe sex for people of all backgrounds, gender identities, and relationship styles—with particular emphasis on the LGBTQIA+ community. The goal was to destigmatize discussions of STIs and testing, and instead spark authentic, inclusive conversations about sexual health.

Launched in May 2024 just ahead of Pride Month, Safe Is Sexy Boston used bold, sex-positive messaging to engage people across the city. The campaign featured characters representing different races, ethnicities, gender identities, sexual orientations, and HIV statuses, reflecting the diversity of Boston’s LGBTQIA+ population. Drawing inspiration from the visual framework of dating and hookup apps, the ads portrayed people having candid, real-world conversations about safer sex. Dialogue ranged from risqué to playful to plain-spoken, mirroring the way different people talk about intimacy and health in their daily lives.

Visually, the campaign embraced the bright, celebratory style of Pride, softened with muted pastels to lend sophistication. Digital ads ran on dating apps, social media, and mobile platforms, while out-of-home ads appeared on buses and subways. Messaging directed people to safeissexyboston.com, a microsite offering resources and information about sexual health and testing.

To deliver its message, the campaign featured bold taglines such as:

• Fun Nights. Smart Choices. Protecting Yourself Protects Us All.
• Slay Pride. Play Safe. Safe Sex Keeps Our Community Healthy.

It also incorporated conversational speech bubbles like:

• “Down to host. I’m on PreP and got tested yesterday.”
• “So glad we could talk openly about our STI screenings, stud!”
• “You’re gorgeous, funny AND you play safe? Where have you been all my life jajaja”

By using candid language, the campaign aimed to make discussions about safe sex and STI testing more open, inclusive, and accessible.

A key component of the campaign was its out-of-home advertising, which was adapted into multiple languages and placed along transit routes serving Boston’s multilingual communities. To ensure these ads were as impactful as their English counterparts, the STUDIO NYC brought in Eriksen to provide transcreation services. We adapted messaging into Simplified Chinese, Cape Verdean Creole (the Portuguese variant most common in New England), Haitian Creole, U.S. Spanish, and Vietnamese—languages spoken by many of the city’s largest limited-English-proficient communities.

Unlike straightforward translation, transcreation goes a step further: it adapts the tone, style, and emotion of the original message so it connects in another language and culture. In this campaign, where playful, colloquial language was drawn from dating apps and casual conversations, transcreation was key. Phrasing around intimacy and health can vary significantly across cultures, and what sounds bold and playful in one language may come across as awkward or even off-putting in another. In this case, the language had to be eye-catching and fun yet remain culturally sensitive and convey a serious message about STI testing. Striking this balance is at the heart of transcreation.

Our linguists carefully adapted each tagline to keep the humor, boldness, and flirtatious tone intact in each target language. Eriksen’s team presented multiple versions of each message, reflecting different ways the original tone and intent could be captured. This gave the Boston Public Health Commission the flexibility to decide which wording resonated most with their campaign goals. Our team worked closely with the client to ensure the final copy was authentic, respectful, and impactful in every language.

Safe is Sexy Boston ran from May through July 2024 and reached a wide and diverse audience across the city. It successfully increased awareness of STI testing resources and received strong, positive feedback. The campaign also brought national recognition for the STUDIO NYC at the 2024 Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards.

By combining the creativity of the STUDIO NYC, the leadership of BPHC, and the linguistic expertise of Eriksen Translations, Safe Is Sexy became an inclusive, impactful campaign that reflected Boston’s diversity and advanced the city’s public health goals.