http://www.medianewsline.com/news/120/ARTICLE/2685/2008-08-13.html
BBC Trust Launches Condom Campaign
Max Digital Media Newswire
Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:05:00
Imagine a phone going off at a wedding reception and the mobile
ringtone has the unlikely chant of "condom, condom". Imagine the
consternation of the person who holds the phone because it's not
really his phone. Imagine the reaction of all around him. Well, if you
think they are shocked and disapproving, you've got another think
coming! Most people feel there is nothing wrong with the condom
ringtone, as condoms signify smart and responsible behaviour, the
hallmark of any winner.
This 'condom a cappella' ringtone is featured in a new ad campaign
launched on August 8, 2008. The advertisement is part of a two year
project using mass media to make condoms more generally acceptable. It
is produced by the BBC World Service Trust and funded by a grant from
the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The National AIDS Control
Organisation (NACO) is also using the ad to support its condom
promotion efforts.
The strategy is to show social support for condoms, as this has a
positive effect on use, and position condoms as a product that men use
to show they are responsible and care about themselves and their
families. The creative idea of the ringtone winning approval from men
and women of all ages reinforces that condoms mean good sense and
those who know it are the real winners in life!
The campaign therefore focuses on people who are sensible enough to
appreciate and understand this, and so the tagline is Jo Samjha Wohi
Sikander ("the one who understands is a winner").
Creative Director of the BBC World Service Trust, Radharani Mitra
states: "Ringtones have become such personal statements that a
specially created condom ringtone seemed just the right vehicle to
define its user as a sensible person. We have always had a strong
interactive, response-oriented element in this ongoing campaign. This
downloadable ringtone provides yet another opportunity for our target
audience to translate the message into an action point. The very act
of downloading and using this ringtone would have a counter effect on
the inhibitions and taboos that can be associated with condoms. And it
adds an element of fun and comfort to it."
The campaign uses a multitude of youth friendly platforms such as
website downloads, online games, mobile advertising and downloads,
along with the TV and radio advertisements and on-ground activation.
The objective is to connect with all age groups and across the
socio-economic strata. This original ringtone can be downloaded in
India by SMSing "CONDOM" to 56887 (download charges apply) or free
from anywhere worldwide on the website condomcondom.org .
The ringtone advertisement is the third instalment of the ongoing
condom normalisation campaign. The campaign has reached over 100
million people in the four target states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,
Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu – states with high rates of HIV. Each phase
has used the media in innovative and interactive ways to get people to
talk about condoms and accept them as a sign of smart and responsible
behaviour. These innovations include a contest where winners received
mobile phone with free talk time, an ad featuring a Kabaddi match won
by the unlikely chant of "condom", SMS opinion polls and more.
The BBC World Service Trust is the international charity of the BBC.
Created in October 1999, the Trust uses the creative power of the
media to achieve development goals. It works in 43 countries around
the world using a variety of approaches including television and radio
drama, advertisements and journalism training. The BBC World Service
Trust focuses on health, governance and human rights, the environment
and humanitarian response. With an annual turnover of £17.6 million,
the Trust employs 500 staff worldwide, 80% of whom are recruited and
trained locally. It has been operational in India for ten years.
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