Viacom and Kaiser Team Up with Crispin Porter + Bogusky to Create 13 New PSAs
New York, New York, June 9, 2004—In advance of National HIV Testing Day (June 27), Viacom Inc. and the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation announced a new series of public service messages (PSAs) as part of their KNOW HIV/AIDS public education partnership to encourage testing among high risk groups, including youth, people of color and men who have sex with men. The ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky worked with Viacom and Kaiser to create the groundbreaking series, which seeks to redefine how people think about testing and to breakdown the associated stigma. The first ads begin airing this week across the U.S. on Viacom’s television, radio and outdoor properties. A second wave will launch in the fall.
The PSAs are the latest installment of a $200 million media commitment Viacom has made toward HIV/AIDS public education this year as part of its collaboration with Kaiser. In addition, the Peabody Award-winning partnership also includes HIV-themed programming and free print and online informational resources.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately one in four of the people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. do not know they are infected. Research shows that once people learn they are HIV-positive, many take steps to protect their partners and reduce the risk of HIV transmission. And early knowledge of HIV infection is critical for connecting people to needed medical care and services.
“The size of Viacom’s commitment and the fact that they have sustained it for a second year is unprecedented. And the focus on testing and reducing stigma is critical,” said Drew E. Altman, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Kaiser Family Foundation.
Branded with the tagline “Knowing is Beautiful,” the series uses popular and aspirational images of beauty to reach those most at risk. The outdoor and television spots depict couples in intimate settings, revealing a uniquely designed adhesive bandage to signify a recent HIV test. In this context, testing is presented as an essential part of a healthy, loving relationship. The radio spots reinforce this message through short empowering pieces from such well-known spoken-word artists as Common and Karen Gibson Roc. All of the PSAs are tagged with the KNOW website (www.knowhivaids.org) and toll-free hotline (1-866-344-KNOW) for those seeking more information, including local testing centers.
“These messages are designed to make the HIV test and the knowledge of one’s status aspirational for anyone who is sexually active,” said Alex Bogusky, Executive Creative Director of Crispin Porter + Bogusky. “In some ways, the test for HIV has become engulfed in the same prejudices that surround the disease. We wanted to show people that getting tested is a badge that should be worn proudly. It’s smart, beautiful and sexy.”
Thirteen new testing-focused PSAs (five television, four radio and four outdoor) were produced for the first wave of the campaign, which will run throughout the summer across Viacom’s broadcast networks CBS and UPN; cable networks MTV, Nick at Nite, VH1, BET, TV Land, Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV and Showtime; 185 Infinity Broadcasting radio stations in the top 50 markets; and billboard, bus and bus shelter advertising faces in the nation’s largest markets. Special programming and shows on HIV/AIDS will air on CBS, UPN, MTV, BET, VH1 and Showtime throughout the month of June.
“The groups who are most at risk for HIV/AIDS are the exact audiences that we reach every day,” said Carl Folta, Senior Vice President of Viacom, Corporate Relations. “Since KNOW HIV/AIDS’ inception, we’ve been educating our audiences and emphasizing the power of protection. Now, in support of National HIV Testing Day, we are stepping up our efforts in order to urge our audiences to take control and to get tested for the disease.”
National HIV Testing Day was launched in 1995 by the National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA-US) to encourage Americans to get tested, and increase overall awareness of the epidemic. To help enhance public awareness about the importance of HIV testing, the KNOW HIV/AIDS campaign has coordinated activities with NAPWA-US and Cable Positive.
About KNOW HIV/AIDS
KNOW HIV/AIDS combines the power of Viacom’s media brands and unmatched audience relationships with the public health expertise of the Kaiser Family Foundation to foster awareness of the disease and its prevention. Every Viacom division is involved in the campaign, and 80 rights-free messages have aired to date, totaling more than $300 million in media value. Additionally, Viacom has produced 22 television shows on the topic seen by millions worldwide. The campaign targets areas of the world where Viacom has a concentration of assets, especially the United States and Europe, and it partners with other companies to focus on regions most affected by the disease. Outside of the United States, KNOW HIV/AIDS is branded Staying Alive, building on MTV International’s award winning campaign of the same name, and encompassing the full range of Viacom’s international properties.
Through a joint effort of KNOW HIV/AIDS and the BBC World Service Trust, messages in seven languages are broadcast to 60 million people in Africa and the Caribbean. In Russia, the campaign has teamed up with Gazprom-Media, Russia’s largest private media holding to help implement a cross-platform initiative on HIV/AIDS. KNOW HIV/AIDS is working in China with MTV and CCTV for a branded AIDS awareness campaign in the world’s largest country.
About Crispin Porter + Bogusky
Crispin Porter + Bogusky is perhaps best known as creators of the ‘truth’ anti-tobacco campaign and for their work on the US launch of the BMW MINI line of automobiles. Based in Miami, Crispin Porter + Bogusky’s other clients include Burger King, IKEA, Virgin Atlantic Airways and Molson. In 2003, in an unprecedented sweep, CP+B won the Grand Prix at Cannes, an O’Toole award for overall creative excellence from the American Association of Advertising Agencies, as well as the grand prizes at the CLIOS, EFFIES, Kelly’s, OBIES, APG awards and the One Show.
About Viacom Inc.
Viacom is a leading global media company, with preeminent positions in broadcast and cable television, radio, outdoor advertising, and online. Viacom’s well-known brands include CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, VH1, BET, Paramount Pictures, Infinity Broadcasting, Viacom Outdoor, UPN, TV Land, Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV, Showtime, Blockbuster, and Simon & Schuster. More information about Viacom and its businesses is available at www.viacom.com.
About The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation
The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation dedicated to providing information and analysis on health issues to policymakers, the media, and the general public. It is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries. Information on HIV/AIDS is available at www.kff.org, and a daily news summary report on developments in HIV/AIDS is available on www.kaisernetwork.org, the Foundation’s free health information service.
Contacts:
Crispin Porter + Bogusky:
Katie Kempner
305-646-7366
kkempner@cpbgroup.com
Vicaom:
Kristi Gates
212-846-6261
kristi.gates@viacom.com
Imara Jones
212-258-6363
imara.jones@viacom.com
The Kaiser Family Foundation:
Rob Graham
650-854-9400 x237
robg@kff.org
Tina Hoff
650-854-9400 x210
thoff@kff.org
