AIDS WALK LOS ANGELES 2023
DON’T
FLAKE, LA
A NEW MISSION FOR THE ORIGINAL AIDS WALK
When APLA Health asked us to help increase Gen Z participation in AIDS Walk LA, we realized that pulling on heartstrings wouldn’t be enough to capture the attention of young Angelenos. With real human lives and healthcare equity at stake, we had to tap into something far more relevant to this audience — social shame.
1328%
Increase in social media reach
OVER 1.3M
Raised for AIDS/HIV Awareness
526%
Increase in web visits
OVER 7K
People gathered on event day
DON’T FLAKE, LA
We issued a challenge to young LA residents who are used to backing out of social plans at the last minute: Don’t Flake on AIDS Walk Los Angeles. This bold message and even bolder new visual system was unafraid to call out behavior that had been normalized and even celebrated, giving Angelenos a reason to follow through for their community.
NO FLAKER IS SAFE
We put flaker archetypes on blast by leaning into real excuses LA’ers have given for canceling plans. Then we plastered them all over the city, even enlisting the help of Bravo’s Billie Lee to capture AIDS Walk commitments in real time. Content drove to a custom landing page where users could discover their “Flaker Zodiac” sign — along with an excuse-busting reason to attend the event.
FLAKES NO LONGER
At the event itself, we celebrated those who honored their commitment to raising vital funds for APLA Health. The 2023 Walk had the highest turnout in over 10 years, and broke all-time fundraising records. Proof that when forced to reconcile with their flaker ways, Angelenos are more than capable of showing up in a big time way.
TL;DR
Make a plan and actually follow through. We just blew Angelenos’ minds.
