HIV ads revert to shock tactics
2005-07-01 10:26
Cape Town - To educate or emanate, that is the question as European HIV campaigning
reverts to shock tactics while South African awareness campaigns verge on
the obscure.
HIV Aids awareness campaigns in France have seen a return to shock tactics
to boost the efficacy of public health messages through vivid imagery
designed to instil a renewed fear of infection.
This represents a marked move away from awareness campaigns that focus on
educational aspects of HIV Aids prevention, familiar to South Africans.
"The reason for this drastic and visually disturbing imagery is directly
related to an increase in HIV and STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) in
Europe," says Calibre Clinical Consultants chief medical officer Dr Erich
Hefer.
"The campaign became a necessary tool to shock the public back into
reality following a wave of complacency about infection, a result of over
education of the public on treatment options which in turn instilled a
mindset of HIV Aids being a treatable condition with a potential cure on the
horizon.
Fear of infection had all but disappeared. Of course, this prompted
a marked increase in STI and HIV infections which necessitated a return to
an aggressive awareness approach."
MTV ad banned
In the US, an HIV/Aids awareness advertisement, aired only once on MTV, was banned by the US government.
The text next to the towers reads:
"2 863 people died" (See picture opposite)
The text next to the man sitting on the road reads: "40 million in the world infected with HIV"
"The world united against terrorism. It should also be united against Aids."
SA's Aids awareness campaigns
Hefer says that South African awareness campaigns have been reasonably
effective in the past, instilling a fear of infection among South Africans,
however, the flipside sees a lack of education and understanding of HIV Aids
and STI's.
"South Africa needs more champions of the cause, personalities
like Patricia de Lille and Pieter Dirk Uys whom have worked tirelessly on
educating our people. We need community leaders to become more involved and
for politicians to get their hands dirty as opposed to using it (HIV Aids)
as an election issue."
Calibre Clinical Consultants employs PR, posturing, lectures, training
programmes and a variety of media to reach and communicate effectively to
citizens.
Hefer also believes that training of educators whom are able to
infiltrate South Africans 'on the ground' in all aspects of life are an
effective tool beyond advertising and giant billboard campaigns.
"If one
considers objectively the current media environment, in terms of awareness
campaigns to the broader public, the overall message is somewhat obscure. I
think that, at this time, Arrive Alive has managed to achieve a far higher
profile than the HIV Aids campaign. Tanzania, for example, follows a simple
strategy using the message Aids Kills as the common denominator in all its
awareness efforts."
"Educating our people about the HIV pandemic must still be seen as a
priority in South Africa. A marriage between awareness and education offers
the key to success in this country.
A tactical shock campaign would, however, not be
advisable here as it will increase the stigmatism already associated with
HIV Aids, and such campaigns usually have a very limited life span."