Hyrflickvän.se

A fake sugar-dating website that sparked a national conversation about the purchase of sexual services.

Client

ChildX

Assignment

Campaign

ConceptPR
170+

media coverage.

The campaign reached outlets such as TV4, Nyhetsmorgon, TT, GP, and Aftonbladet.

One of Our Most Important Campaigns

ChildX gathers and supports grassroots organizations working to protect children from human trafficking and exploitation. Together, we created one of our most high-profile campaigns: hyrflickvän.se — a seemingly ordinary sugar-dating site. But instead of hiring a girlfriend, visitors were met with reversed messages: sugar dating is prostitution, and anyone looking to ‘hire a girlfriend’ is about to commit a crime. To create credibility, we used the same colors, fonts, and imagery as real sugar-dating sites, but with a more modern and appealing design.

Marketing the Forbidden

Since traditional media refused to run ads for a sugar-dating site — even a fake one — we took a different approach: Google Ads using keywords such as ‘escort, buy sex, sugar dating, sugarbabe’ — the same keywords real sugar-dating sites use. Activists around the country put up posters and handed out flyers promoting ‘the charming sugar-dating site.

A Nationwide Impact

The campaign gained enormous reach and put sugar dating on the agenda in both public debate and politics. After the campaign, the previously little-known organizations behind Hyrflickvän went from minor players to influential voices in societal discussions. ChildX succeeded in sparking a national conversation, and sugar dating along with other digital brothels are now included in the Swedish Crime Prevention Council’s evaluation of the Sex Purchase Act.

Campaign Summary

  • 808 men registered in just three days, with every sixth man attempting to hire a child.
  • Approximately 3,000 unique page views on hyrflickvän.se during the campaign weekend.
  • Over 33,000 people visited hyrflickvän.se between October 9 and November 25.
  • 11 million potential readers and viewers.

Media Exposure

  • Over 170 media publications, including TV4, Nyhetsmorgon, TT, GP, Aftonbladet, and more.
  • Two appearances on Nyhetsmorgon.
  • An op-ed in GP and discussions with government parties about the demands.
  • The campaign was highlighted on social media by political figures such as Annie Lööf and Minister for Gender Equality Åsa Lindhagen.
  • Op-ed in Expressen by Annika Strandhäll and others, citing the SIFO survey.
  • Social media shares from accounts like @Therese (Therése Lindgren), who has 1 million followers.