Beyond Awareness Campaign

The challenge posed by the framework of the Beyond Awareness Campaign was to develop a campaign that did more than simply raise awareness. Although the Campaign did include awareness raising activities, its focus was to provide and promote access to communications tools and resources that could be used in support of prevention, care and support activities and initiatives at the local level.Main focus was on the red ribbon icon. By actively promoting the red ribbon in all communications activities, the Beyond Awareness Campaign helped to make the AIDS epidemic more visible, and to promote consistent "branding" of all AIDS communication activities. As comprehension of this symbol grew, the Campaign expanded promotion to include distribution (on request) of utility items such as high quality red ribbon pins, red ribbon caps and t-shirts. The red ribbon logo was available electronically to all organisations producing HIV/AIDS communications materials, thus allowing the same logo to appear as part of provincial, regional and local communications campaigns.

They held an AIDS Helpline and AIDS write-in service and provided key messages through advertising. Communication of key messages through advertising provided a consistent and sustained backdrop to activities at provincial, regional and local level. Areas of focus included: the red ribbon, the tollfree AIDS helpline and condoms. And they provided free educational materials through the AIDS Action Office.

HIV/AIDS.

The Beyond Awareness Campaign emerged out of a long history of research, consultation and analysis of international trends. It had its roots in the National AIDS Convention of South Africa (NACOSA) plan that was developed in the early 1990's, and was shaped by needs of HIV/AIDS organisations through dialogue and consultation of the National HIV/AIDS Communications Forum. All activities were monitored and evaluated.

It had a multilingual approach. South Africa is a country of diverse languages. Communication around HIV/AIDS is more likely to be comprehended and accepted in a person's home language. The Beyond Awareness Campaign emphasised a multilingual approach in key activities including advertising in radio and print media, information materials, and the tollfree AIDS helpline.