Along with public service ads, mtvU and Kaiser
promoted the Pos or Not game on-air, on-the-ground and online to ensure the
widest possible reach and to build an supportive community.
News and Celeb On-Air Promos
Concerts
In April and March 2008, the game was showcased as part of mtvU’s Campus Invasion Music Festival –
consisting of three full-day music festivals and 20 campus visits in some of
the nation’s largest college towns (Boston, Philadelphia and College
Park, Maryland). Nearly
20,000 college students attended the festival where extensive signage and stage
mentions promoted the campaign. Volunteers at the concerts passed out condoms
branded with the Pos or Not logo and
web address, intriguing attendees to login and learn more. Short promotional
videos featuring musicians werer shot during the Campus Invasion tour and then
aired on mtvU during the concert series.
The Spill Canvas spent their
summer in 2008 hosting bowling parties sponsoring Pos or Not. The band toured the nation’s bowling allies, hitting 12
major markets. The first thirty fans to show up with clothes to donate for
people living with HIV/AIDS got to bowl with a member of the band.
Social Networking and Widgets
Pos or Not has also relied on its audience to be a force for
social change, encouraging players to spread the game virally. The Pos or Not ”send to a friend” option,
online widget, banner ads, and MySpace/Facebook pages have turned players into
torchbearers, who are helping spread the game throughout the community, beyond
the reach of traditional media. Major artists and pop culture figures have also
lent their names to help stoke the online viral spread of Pos or Not, including Wyclef Jean, Fall Out Boy, Will.i.am, Alyssa
Milano, Simple Plan, Perez Hilton, and The Spill Canvas to name a few. As ‘notable players’ of the online game, many
of these celebrities—including Perez Hilton—linked to the Pos or Not site from their blogs and webpages.
