Sexual Health
2006 Commonwealth Games Safe Sex Campaign - Australia
Client: Department of Human Services, Victoria.
Target Audience: 18-35 year old travellers to Melbourne.
Summary: On behalf of the Department of Human Services (Victoria), Convenience Advertising developed a safe sex message that was specifically developed for the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games.
With a patriotic theme and catchy tagline, the “Condom, Aussie, Condom” message aimed to raise awareness among the target age group (18-35 year old national and international travellers) of the high prevalence of STIs attained through unprotected sex. In addition, the messages aimed to promote access to information and services via the State sponsored Better Health Channel.
The aims of the Safe Sex Promotion Campaign were: (1) ‘to create awareness among the target age group of the risks of contracting an STI through unprotected sex and to encourage condom use’… and (2) ‘promote access to information and services via the Better Health Channel website’.
More than 1500 display points were placed in a variety of locus of risk and engagement venues within the Melbourne CBD and inner-city suburbs including clubs, pubs, nightclubs, accommodation venues, entertainment venues, sporting venues, hotels and airport terminals. More than 470,000 weekly patrons were exposed to the message when attending the select venues during the campaign period.
Results: A final evaluation conducted by the School of Psychology at Deakin University found the Commonwealth Games to be particularly effective in conveying the safe sex message by promoting condom use.
The evaluation is based on the summary of data gathered in 343 intercept interviews. Message recall amongst the target audience was high. In total, 87 per cent of respondents recalled seeing the campaign posters and 78 per cent of respondents understood the message to say ‘always use condoms’ or ‘practice safe sex’. These rates indicate a high level of message awareness. Furthermore, message recall was equally high regardless of gender, age group, nationality or message location (airport or licensed venue). Also, message awareness was very high during the commonwealth games period, with 95 per cent of respondents recalling the campaign message at this time.
Check It Out Intervention Campaign - Australia
Client: Department of Human Services
Target Audience: Men who have sex with men (MSM)
Summary: In 2003 the Department of Human Services selected a consortium, led by the Victorian AIDS Council, to develop and implement a targeted HIV and STI testing campaign, intended to increase levels of regular HIV and STI testing among MSM in Victoria.
The campaign was launched during the Melbourne Midsumma Carnival. A4 narrowcast messages were placed throughout toilets at this large community event, postcards were distributed and a four panel take away brochure distributed within condom packs.
The initial phase of communications, which target gay community attached men who have sex with men, commenced in 2004.
200 display point were installed in sex on premises venues, gay clubs and pubs and other gay community venues, and were maintained for an initial four month period. A press campaign in print, web and radio was scheduled to support this campaign.
Chlamydia Education and Prevention Program - Australia
Client: Department of Human Services.
Target Audience: Sexually active young people attending tertiary institutions; Licensed venue patrons.
Summary: In 2001, the Department of Human Services adopted a narrowcast strategy to deliver gender specific messages with take away information to sexually active young people attending tertiary institutions and licensed venues. The general aim of the programme was to increase awareness of chlamydia infection and encourage safe sex practices amongst young people.
Results: An independent evaluation was conducted by the School of Psychology at Deakin University. The evaluation found that of the 25 per cent of the sample who reported no prior knowledge of Chlamydia, 93 per cent were subsequently able to recall at least one piece of information about Chlamydia.
Therefore, specific knowledge increased in, at the very least, 22 per cent of the sample as a direct result of the programme. The great majority of respondents (85 per cent) received and recalled the message about the use of condoms and the prevention of Chlamydia. As such, messages were interpreted as an encouragement to adopt safe sex practices.
Hepatitis C Awareness Program - Australia
Client: City of Melbourne
Target Audience: Injecting drug users; General public residing within the City of Melbourne.
Summary: The City of Melbourne funded the Convenience Advertising narrowcast education program in 2003 targeting both the general public and injecting drug users.
Two separate but complimentary messages were developed for both these target audiences with a stakeholder steering group including members from the Hepatitis C Council of Victoria, VIVAIDS, Foot Patrol, Living Room (a primary healthcare provider) and key personnel from the City of Melbourne.
Convenience Advertising placed the messages in selected public toilets in the central business district of the City of Melbourne. A venue audit and the steering group informed venue selection according to bathrooms with high levels of IDU traffic. Messages for the general public were placed in the remainder. A card holder was attracted to the IDU messages with a multi-panel Z-card detailing information and services for IDUs in the City of Melbourne.
Convenience Advertising maintained 118 display points in 22 key venues fortnightly throughout the campaign, with take away cards refilled and message damage and graffiti reported.
Results: The School of Psychology at Deakin University evaluated the program in August 2004 with 50 intercept interviews with IDUs and 50 with the general public.
Results include:
• the majority of the respondents in the general public target audience (66 per cent) recalled seeing the message, of which 32 per cent demonstrated detailed content knowledge
• overall the general public respondents identified with the messages and would not dismiss them as being solely for IDUs
• 58 per cent of the general public sample demonstrated some increase in awareness of Hepatitis C
• 42 per cent of IDUs recalled seeing the messages
National Sexual Health Program - Ireland
Client: Health Promotion Unit and Department of Health and Children.
Target Audience: Heterosexual males and females aged 18-30; Men who have sex with men (MSM); Young people aged 14-18 years (marginalised youth).
Summary: The Irish National Sexual Health program aimed to advocate safe sex practices amongst the general Irish population but in particular young people and homosexual men. The program aimed to encourage those who think their sexual health may be at risk to call a free, confidential sexual health service.
Results: An evaluation conducted by the Marketing Development Program of University College Dublin found that total recall of the sexual health poster peaked at 92 per cent during face-to-face intercept interviews with a sample of 300 young people in venues in Dublin, Galway and Donegal.
Other findings include: 89 per cent of respondents were able to recall sexual health as the subject matter they saw in the bathroom without being prompted. A majority (61 per cent) of respondents were able to correctly identify chlamydia as the primary message of the poster. This was closely followed by sexual health and condom use, both of which are sub-messages of the poster.
A further 89 per cent cited condoms as the best form of protection against chlamydia. A large majority of respondents (96 per cent) felt that bathrooms were an appropriate venue in which to communicate messages on sexual health.
