HIV.
Live With it. Get Tested! Campaign.
HIV. LIVE WITH IT. GET TESTED! is a social marketing
campaign designed to address the national crisis of HIV infection
in young people. Its goal is to bring HIV-positive and at-risk
adolescents into care by offering free, confidential youth-friendly
HIV counseling and testing.
In
the face of steadily growing statistics that indicate youth
between the ages of 13–21 represent an estimated 25 percent
of new U.S. HIV infections, this campaign focuses on urban
at-risk youth living in communities hardest hit by the AIDS
epidemic. While for several years there had been a downward
trend in new infections among gay white men, infection rates
among youth of color – particularly young women and young
men who have sex with men -- continue to rise.
Youth of color are disproportionately affected -- with almost
two-thirds of new infections occurring among African Americans
and Latinos. Of particular concern is that young people living
in urban centers, while hardest hit, are less likely to access
health care services and therefore are not often linked to
HIV testing, counseling and care services.
How
Does The Campaign Work?
HIV. LIVE WITH IT. GET TESTED!
empowers young people to become advocates for their health
through peer education and outreach. This dynamic campaign
speaks to youth in their language, asking through print and
broadcast media if they’re “Doin’ it?”
or “Gettin’ Busy?” and then replies that if
they are, they should “Do it Safe. Get Tested” –
familiar language that provokes their attention, invoking:
“If you’re sexually active, you should ‘Get
Tested!’ to know your HIV status and make responsible
choices regarding your health and sexual behaviors.”
The Campaign’s marketing materials have been researched
and crafted with language and visual images that attract the
attention of urban youth.
The campaign further utilizes community mobilization and coalition
building with other adolescent health programs, youth organizations,
schools and faith organizations to enhance outreach. The participation
of young people is central to the program’s success.
Community visibility is created for the campaign using paid
advertising, public service announcements, street marketing
and public relations as components of an integrated communications
program to effectively get messages in the streets and on
the airwaves.
What
do the outreach materials look and sound like? Teen Zine, The Deal
A glossy, 4-color CD-size lifestyle magazine with cutting-edge
designs for teens. Features prevention messages and HIV counseling
and testing resources integrated with content covering music,
fashion and other teen lifestyle issues. The inside back cover
features a blank space where you can customize the ‘zine
with contact information for your program.
MiniPosters
Glossy, 4-color posters, 8.5” X 11” with choice
of male or female campaign art printed on one side (including
your local telephone number).
Palm Cards –
double sided
Business size cards with choice of male or female 4-color
campaign art on one side (including your local telephone number)
and information about your program/city printed in black on
the reverse side.
Palm Cards – single sided
Business size cards with choice of male or female 4-color
campaign art on one side (including your local telephone number),
blank on the reverse side.
HIV Live with it. Get Tested! Campaign
Manual
A practical guide to implementing the campaign with tips on
building all aspects of the program including: developing
community partnerships, securing funding, utilizing the media,
forming effective outreach teams and getting the most out
of your evaluation.
HIV Counseling and Testing for Healthcare
Providers
How to implement a program of youth-friendly HIV counseling
and testing in your clinic or agency.
30 Second Television Spot
A professionally shot television spot using urban youth as
talent to promote HIV testing. Can be customized with your
program’s name and phone number. 30 Second Radio Spot
A professionally taped radio spot with an urban young man
as the voice over in English and an urban young woman as the
voice over in the Spanish version. Both the English and Spanish
language versions can be customized with your program’s
name and telephone number.
Campaign T-shirts
High quality 100% cotton T-shirts great for outreach staff
or for use as incentives. Black shirts with red and white
“HIV. Live with it. Get Tested!” logo imprint on
left breast area.
Campaign Tote Bags
Heavy gauge 100% cotton canvas tote bags suitable for packaging
and transporting campaign materials, for use at conferences
and meetings, and as incentives. Black bags with red and white
“HIV. Live with it. Get Tested!” logo imprint on
one side.
Who
are the campaign leaders and partners? Teen Zine, The Deal
HIV. LIVE WITH IT. GET TESTED! was first created in 1997 by
the Adolescent AIDS Program at Montefiore Medical Center in
the Bronx, New York. Under the leadership of the Adolescent
Medicine HIV/AIDS Research Network (AMHARN) -- which provides
national leadership on key research, policy and care issues
facing HIV-infected youth -- the program has been expanded
to cities nationwide. Program funders include the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the Congressional
Black Caucus.
