
An Awareness Campaign That Wants You To Ignore It
Most awareness campaigns ask for your attention. This one is screaming for you to ignore it. To mark Tourette's Awareness Month (15th May – 15th June), the Tourette's Association of New Zealand (TANZ) has launched 'Please Ignore It' – a new campaign that twists the convention of traditional awareness efforts. When it comes to Tourette's, attention often makes things worse. And it was this simple insight that led the creative team to such an unexpected theme.
'When someone has a tic, the last thing they want is more attention,' says Emma Henderson, TANZ General Manager. 'Most people think of Tourette's as the neurological disorder that makes people swear or shout profanities, which is a form of tic that only impacts 10% of people with Tourette's. So, when they meet or see someone with other types of tics, they're often caught off guard and unsure how to respond. What they don't realise is that drawing focus to the tic – whether through staring, pointing it out awkwardly, or falling into awkward silences – can actually increase that person's stress, making their tics even more frequent or pronounced. That's why we're giving people one simple piece of advice: please ignore it.'
Despite 1 in 100 young Kiwi's experiencing tics or Tourette's, the syndrome is not considered a disability in New Zealand, meaning it gets zero government funding. Relying solely on grants and donations, the campaign urges New Zealanders to pay cash, not pay attention.
Says Jordan Sky, Executive Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi NZ: 'People with Tourette's get unwanted attention 12 months of the year. We wanted to draw attention to the fact they'd rather not be drawing your attention.'
'The reactions can be worse than the tics,' says Emma Henderson. 'What many people don't realise is that the staring, laughing, even awkward silences are far more distressing than the condition itself. This campaign helps normalise Tourette's in a way that's empowering, not patronising.'
'It's great when the creative answer to a brief is right there in the brief,' says Steve Cochran, Chief Creative Officer at Saatchi & Saatchi NZ. 'Knowing people with a tic would prefer us just to ignore it became the campaign idea. An ad asking you to ignore it means you can't help but pay attention. This irony makes the message all the more potent, helping educate people about Tourette's and how to behave around it.'
That tension between asking to be ignored and being impossible to ignore extends into the campaign's visual language. The campaign's design reflects the unpredictable, disruptive nature of Tourette's itself. Designed in intentionally loud, brash colours, the bold, angular typography takes cues from the jagged pulse-like burst patterns of an EEG brainwave – evoking the neurological activity behind a tic. The resulting design makes the 'PLEASE IGNORE IT' message feel frenetic as though shifting in volume and intensity, mirroring the involuntary motor and vocal tics that define the condition.
Thanks to TANZ's media partners – NZME, Mediaworks, LUMO, Go Media, Stuff, oOh! Media and Phantom Billstickers – the 'Please Ignore It' campaign will run from May 15th – June 15th across radio, digital, outdoor and social – assuming, of course, you pay attention.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

1News
7 hours ago
- 1News
Brown outlines Budget 2025 infrastructure spend at Auckland hospitals
Health Minister Simeon Brown has detailed how funding set aside in Budget 2025 will be used to upgrade ageing infrastructure at Auckland Hospital and Greenlane Clinical Centre. The third tranche of the Facilities Infrastructure Remediation Programme is part of the Government's $1 billion Budget hospital infrastructure investment. The programme seeks to identify, upgrade, and replace infrastructure that poses the greatest risk to hospital operations in the Auckland district. Speaking from Auckland City Hospital, Brown said the Government was committed to investing in critical health system infrastructure. "That includes ensuring the hospitals we rely on every day are safe, modern, and fit for purpose." ADVERTISEMENT The investment included upgrades to the high voltage power supply at Auckland Hospital, replacement of the ageing steam heating system, as well as improvements to electrical monitoring and building management systems at Auckland and Greenlane. It also included design work for the next stage of the Auckland hot water pipes replacement project, with construction on the first stage already underway. A water leak in one of the wards at the main adult building at Auckland Hospital in January saw a full shutdown in place for up to 10 hours, with bottled and hot water being delivered to patients. Brown said the replacement of the hot water pipe system in the main building at Auckland Hospital was a priority within the Health Infrastructure Plan. "This investment will help speed up delivery by funding the design work for the next stage of this project. Getting ahead on the design work now will mean we can fast-track the next stage by eight months." Health NZ would be carefully managing the work to minimise disruption to services, patients, and staff, he added. "This is about investing in the future of Auckland's health services – getting the basics right so frontline teams can keep delivering high-quality care to New Zealanders."


Techday NZ
11 hours ago
- Techday NZ
Westcon-Comstor & Juniper boost Starship with sales support
Westcon-Comstor New Zealand and Juniper Networks have announced a partnership to donate a portion of sales to Starship Children's Hospital. Under the 'Sales that Transform Lives' initiative, Westcon-Comstor will donate 1% of every Mist sale in an effort to support children's healthcare needs through Starship, New Zealand's national children's hospital. The partnership continues Westcon-Comstor New Zealand's efforts to support Starship Children's Hospital. Since 2022, Westcon-Comstor has collaborated with the Starship Foundation—a non-profit organisation supporting the hospital—to raise more than NZD $68,000 through a range of activities such as fundraising events, baking competitions, team building sessions, fun runs, and other campaigns. Funds raised under the new initiative will assist with acquiring lifesaving equipment, supporting critical care services, advancing medical research, and providing family support initiatives. Sales initiative The arrangement specifies that Westcon-Comstor will donate 1% of earnings from the Juniper Mist product line on each sale. This is expected to continue the company's pledge to business initiatives that include charitable giving alongside commercial operations. Dave Rosenberg, Managing Director, Westcon-Comstor, New Zealand, commented on the company's intent to integrate purposeful actions with business operations. He said: "Partnering with Juniper Networks to support Starship Children's Hospital reflects our deep commitment to doing business with purpose. Contributing a portion of our sales is just one way we aim to give back, but more importantly, we hope it encourages others in our community to get behind this meaningful cause and help make a real impact for Kiwi kids." Juniper Networks is joining Westcon-Comstor in this effort, linking the role of technology with broader social outcomes. Ken Lord, Country Manager, New Zealand, Juniper Networks, said: "At Juniper Networks, we believe technology has the power to do more than build networks – it's about connecting people, empowering communities and creating meaningful impact. We're proud to partner with Westcon-Comstor in support of Starship Children's Hospital, with proceeds from our sales directly contributing to the wellbeing of children across New Zealand. Together, we're making every connection count while turning innovation into purposeful action and helping those who need it most." Community impact The fundraising activities correspond to Westcon-Comstor's global Responsible Business strategy, which is structured around commitments to people, the planet, and communities. According to the company, these pillars guide its decision-making processes to ensure positive social impact forms part of its business model. The Starship Foundation reports that demand for services has risen, with a 13% increase in children visiting the hospital over the past year. Jo Simon, Chief Executive Officer of the Starship Foundation, described the importance of continued support: "Over the last year there has been an increase in children coming to Starship by 13%. With a huge demand on services, the work of the Starship Foundation has never been more urgent, more critical, or more relevant than right now and our children need your support more than ever. Every dollar donated helps improve the lives of seriously sick and injured children, so thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your ongoing support." The total funds donated, both past and future, are designated for hospital needs throughout New Zealand, addressing medical care for a wide range of health conditions affecting children, from minor injuries to severe illnesses. Last year, Starship Hospital recorded attendance from more than 150,000 children from across the country. Westcon-Comstor and Juniper Networks state that their joint initiative is intended both to provide resources for critical child healthcare and to serve as an example for others in the sector to engage in similar programmes.


Scoop
13 hours ago
- Scoop
Men's Health Week: Supporting Kiwi Dads For Strong Family Futures
Triple P Founder and Psychologist Professor Matt Sanders said that in New Zealand, males are more than twice as likely to die by suicide than females yet are the least likely to seek help. More >> Stressed, Angry And Lacking Sleep: Kiwi Parents Crying Out For Support – Study Thursday, 31 August 2023, 9:06 am | Triple P Three quarters of New Zealand parents believe Government should better fund parenting support programmes More >> How To Positively Transition Back To School: Top Tips For Kiwi Whānau Thursday, 27 January 2022, 11:10 am | Triple P With thousands of Kiwi students soon going back to school, Triple P Positive Parenting experts are providing easy-to-use, practical support, so children and young people can positively transition back-to-school and build their emotional resilience while ... More >>