Today sees the launch of ‘The Science of Kissing’, a new campaign created by creative agency Dawn and production agency Halal. ARTIS-Micropia, the only museum of its kind worldwide, aims to make people aware of the role microbes play in our lives. On a mission to introduce the world of microbes to a wider audience, the campaign highlights how these mechanisms influence one of the most basic human instincts; finding a partner. 

Dawn was tasked to create a campaign that illustrates how microbes actually influence people in finding their ideal partner. A big aspect of this was to unite science and love in its execution. The background for the campaign is research showing that as microbes are exchanged through the kiss, they unconsciously influence whether the involved parties are a good match or not. The same goes for body odour. And, importantly, when kissing microbes are exchanged which increases the variety of flora in the mouth. Ultimately, this exchange equips your body and immune system to better resist damaging bacteria.

To bring these scientific findings to life, Dawn and ARTIS-Micropia brought renowned photographer and director Karen Rosetzsky on board. Through a series of films for cinema and online, kissing couples bring the message to life; there are multiple benefits of sharing your kiss with millions of microbes.

The team at Dawn commented: “Together with ARTIS-Micropia we wanted to make the invisible world of microbes more welcoming and comprehensible. ‘The Science of Kissing’ marries the world of science to an element we all know; love.”

Karen Rosetzsky, photographer and director, Halal, adds: “Encapsulating that special moment that is the kiss is of course not a new scenario for me, but this project was really the first time it felt like an organic next step to evolve into moving images. To capture in film the same raw emotion and feeling I am used to express through images was a welcome new challenge. I am a firm believer in removing all artificial layers and concentrate purely on the real, genuine emotions in order to get the message across to the audience. Therefore, casting was key. I was looking for that explosive chemistry that makes kissing for two-hours seem like the most natural thing on earth.”

“It was a real pleasure working with the talented Menno Mans- together we accurately managed to capture on film that exact same feeling I capture in photos. Dawn really gave everyone involved the creative freedom and space to make the project shine, and I really enjoyed working with them.”