Agency: Messner Vettere Berger McNamee Schmetterer/Euro RSCG

Production Company: Go Film, New York; service by Mexico's The Production Office

Mandate: To show that with the help of Glaxo Welcomme's products, an exciting, full life can be achieved.

Solution: A literal and figurative journey as a woman and her husband kayak amidst the backdrop of Chile's natural beauty.

"Trust me when I tell you, you don't want to talk about herpes, okay?" are some of the first words that Go Film producer Robert Wherry says when asked about the "Freedom" spot that the company shot for Glaxo Wellcome.

Of course, it's an uncomfortable subject to speak about, let alone conjure visuals for, but it's at the heart of a series of ads MVBMS has undertaken for the herpes-busting Valtrex brand.

Fed up with the traditional idea of drug company ads, the agency created "Freedom" as the second spot in a campaign; the first, "Kickboxer," features an athletic woman exercising, signifying her empowerment and will to fight anything in her way.

"That was the first spot that we at Messner did for Glaxo, and it was a metaphor [for] 'kick herpes' ass.' That was really the initial metaphor for empowering the main character," says Ron Luhres, art director at MVBMS. "That gave the idea that nothing will stand in your way, and it's a proactive, take-charge way of dealing with your problem and not holding back. That's where the campaign initiated and we went on from there."

And that took MVBMS and Go Film to Chile. The idea behind the second spot was to build on the kickboxer imagery, but rather than toned muscles connoting strength, it's the rivers and mountains of Chile. A couple kayaks through these rivers and mountains during the 60-second spot, showing their freedom to go anywhere and do anything, despite any, ahem, inconveniences.

"We chose Chile because it's where all the top kayakers go, that's where they are practicing this time of year," says Wherry. "It's summer there and rivers are phenomenal, the epic-ness of it, the size of it, the amazing outdoors that are fresh and haven't really been seen."

Moving from a resort area, Puc--n in central Chile, the shoot then went south to Patagonia where a breathtaking glacier sits in the middle of an inlet. Despite the awe-inspiring beauty, all agreed it was a difficult shoot. Many locations were in remote areas that required leaving vehicles and hiking, lugging all sorts of camera equipment. As well, the weather didn't always agree. For instance, in Torres del Pi-es, a national park in the south, the trade winds blew and drenched the crew with what seemed like walls of water.

"The director, Mike Shapiro, wanted to capture that intensity in the images," says

Juan Harrington, of Mexico City-based The Production Office, which handled production service on the project. "Shooting in Chile, distances are long and vast, but you can get a lot of variety and a lot of untouched beauty, and you have to keep in mind they remain that way because they are untouched."