Avoid demonisation or 'blaming the victim'
The 'Grim Reaper' - "AIDS: Prevention is the only cure we've got"
Arguably the most famous HIV/AIDS campaign in Australia is the Grim Reaper campaign of 1987. The image of a grim reaper using a bowling ball to knock down familes left such a lasting impact and is still vividly remembered by many people today. It certainly did raise awareness of HIV - but how successful was it as a campaign?
At the time of the campaign, many people saw a distinction between 'innocent victims' of AIDS - heamophiliacs, children, female partners of men who have sex with men - and other, presumably 'guilty' victims - mostly gay and bisexual men. This campaign reinforced these notions and the increased stigma had a devestating effect on the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS, and the gay and lesbian community more generally.
This confronting image was hostile to the gay community. Placed as it was at peak-viewing times, the ‘Reaper’ raised levels of apprehension about the virus while also creating fear and stigma around HIV+ people. But it also raised awareness of HIV itself and encouraged the use of condoms. It remains the most remembered of all the campaigns.- Dr John Thompson 'there isn't room for ambiguity'
The downside was that the Grim Reaper became identified with gay men rather than as the Reaper ... That was what we had unintentionally produced, (the belief) by some that the Reaper was people with HIV infection, rather than the Reaper harvesting the dead... I think there's never been anything on television or any media that has ever matched it in terms of impact but no advertising can be without some downside and that was never intended. - Prof Ron Penny, quoted by AAP.
Today, most HIV/AIDS campaigns are carefully developed in collaboration with HIV positive communities. The Community Education and Health Promotion Unit works closely with People Living with HIV/AIDS (ACT) on all campaigns.
Testing campaign - "at least once a year... make a date for an HIV test"
We participated with other AIDS Councils in a national campaign which aimed to increase testing amongst men who have sex with men. The text for the campaign was "at least once a year... make a date for an HIV test." This campaign excluded HIV positive men, because an HIV test wasn't relavant for them - but positive people need to have sexual health tests, too. If we had used the words "make a date for a sexual health test", the campaign may have been relevant for both groups. Why exclude a group if you don't need to?
Use positive language
Many of us are being told what not to do most of our lives. It's usually much better to give someone an alternative, a positive change they can make. Consider the two posters below:
Left: "Don't bet your life"; right: "Play your ace - play it safe"
The poster on the left uses negative language - it emphasises the impacts of not using a condom. The poster on the right is much more positive and emphasises the positive aspects of using a condom. It can be a subtle difference but have a significant impact on the success of a campaign.
Consider the change below to our Smart Players Use Protection campaign:
Detail of draft for Smart Players Use Protection.
Final version of Smart Players Use Protection.
We know that most people don't 'forget' to use a condom - they weigh up the risks and make a decision not to use one. The first version of the campaign had the potential to be validating the 'excuse' of 'forgetfulness' as a reason not to use condoms. Again, the new version uses much more positive language.
Reduce the barriers
In 1986 the Ottawa Charter highlighted the need to move beyond health education into health promotion. Amongst other things, health promotion recognises the broader social factors that influence individual and community health.
Most people know what they should be doing to live healthier. We know we shouldn't smoke, eat fatty food, drive over the speed limit or have unprotected sex. So why do people still do these things? We know many of the reasons why people have unsafe sex, so one of our aims in the Community Education and Health Promotion Unit is to reduce these barriers.
Most people are probably much more likely to use a condom is there is one is available when they decide they are going to have sex. Having condoms and lubricant available in a night club or sex on premises venue reduces barriers because if people have to go out of their way to find condoms, such as in a late night store, they are probably more likely to take a risk to save themselves the effort. Almost all our campaigns involve the distribution of condoms to venues that will reach the target group for that campaign.
Use appropriate language and imagery for your audience
The use of sexually explicit materials and language in campaigns targeted to men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) has been mandated in Australia* as it has been shown that sexually explicit campaigns may be more effective at inducing behaviour change.
The context of HIV/AIDS prevention in Canberra raises a few interesting challenges. Campaigns which are sexually explicit (particularly visually explicit) can only be implemented and distributed in a very small number of appropriate venues. Canberra doesn't have as many gay night clubs and sex on premises venues (SPOVs) as other Australian cities.
In this context, the AIDS Action Council produces a number of campaigns each year which target both MSM and the broader community. These campaigns can be used in a greater number of venues and situations. National campaigns which the Council is involved with through the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO) tend to be more sexually explicit are generally restricted to the night clubs and SPOVs.
* Leonard, W. and Mitchell, A. (2000) The Use of Sexually Explicit Materials in HIV/AIDS Initiatives Targeted at Gay Men, ANCAHRD, Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, Canberra.
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