The Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research (IOI) has received an Antibiotic Guardian award from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) for its public awareness campaign to raise awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Awarded by the UKHSA, the Antibiotic Guardian awards recognise and celebrate the work of professionals worldwide in raising awareness of AMR.
The aim of the ‘Not in our Lifetime’ campaign was to raise awareness about AMR amongst young people aged 18-29 years old in the UK. Launched in November 2023, the campaign almost doubled the understanding of AMR amongst target audience from 6% in October 2023 to 11% in January 2024.
A AMR timeline from the event
AMR is one of the most pressing global health challenges, however, public awareness about the causes and impacts of AMR is worryingly low. The language used to describe AMR is often jargon-heavy and the subject is, by its nature, complex.
To overcome this challenge, the campaign used simple, clear, and engaging messaging to resonate with a younger audience. The campaign focused on relatable, real-life scenarios to make the risks and consequences of AMR accessible to non-expert audiences.
The initial campaign phase focused on the rise of drug-resistant sexually transmitted infections (STIs), particularly gonorrhoea, which has seen a 50% increase in cases in the UK since 2021. Campaign activities included partnerships with social media influencers, a public engagement event in London and digital ads.
Social media influencers
Three sex-positive influencers, Hayley Morris, Max Hovey, and Oloni, were engaged to share AMR-related content on Instagram and TikTok. Each influencer created a reel about drug-resistant STIs on their Instagram and TikTok channels. Collectively, their content was viewed over 10 million times over a two-month period.
Watch their reels: Hayley Morris, Max Hovey and Oloni.
Social media
The campaign’s digital assets, including short films and graphics, were shared widely on social media, generating over 2.2 million impressions. Key creative outputs included:
- Campaign manifesto film: Not in Our Lifetime
- Exploding aubergine video: A metaphor for the threat AMR poses to sexual health
- Posters and ads: Distributed across digital platforms
Campaign manifesto film
Public engagement event: Sex bomb party
Over 300 members of the public, 22 journalists, and 6 social media influencers attended the public engagement event called the ‘sex bomb party’ in London.
This was an immersive, educational event featuring interactive games and expert talks about AMR. The event generated national media coverage and contributed to a total campaign media reach of over 30 million.
Antimicrobial resistance is often seen as a distant or technical issue, but its consequences are immediate and personal. Young people play a crucial role in tackling AMR as they are the future stewards of antibiotic use. Through this campaign, we wanted to make AMR real and relevant by connecting it to everyday experiences. We’re proud to see it making a difference.
Prof. Diane Ashiru-Oredope, Lead for the Antibiotic Guardian campaign and Chair for the English Surveillance Programme for Antimicrobial Utilisation and Resistance, said: “The seventh Antibiotic Guardian awards has provided us with an excellent opportunity to recognise and champion organisations and individuals who have demonstrated achievement in their work to tackle AMR. I’d like to personally congratulate all the shortlisted entries and those recognised for their contributions. Thank you for sharing your projects and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.”
The campaign was developed by a team of multi-disciplinary experts from marketing, communications, policy, microbiology, and medicine, from the IOI and INEOS, along with an external marketing agency- The & Partnership.
Find out more about the awards and other winners here: Winners and Commended: Seventh Antibiotic Guardian Shared Learning Events and Awards 2025 – Antibiotic Guardian