In PR class last week we were given a booklet to read called Program Planning. In it, was an article called "India Changes Attitudes on Condom Use," it was on a PR campaign encouraging men and women to not be ashamed of using or buying condoms.
It was a very successful campaign. (Below I have listed what they did to make it so successful)
Whenever I go to India I often find that talking about sex or even saying the word is still used very quietly. The ironic issue for me was that India has population of over 1 billion and you would think by now it would be an openly spoken topic. But no it isn't. It's slowly beginning to be and I am on a mini-quest as to why it wasn't examined earlier.
One of the reasons I found was, the topic of sex and condom use still has a social stigma attached to it. I also believe it to be because of our elder generations (Indian men and women) who were brought up thinking that sex should be very hush, hush.
Most women and men, especially in rural parts of India are just beginning to be educated about the topic. HIV levels are quite high in India and recently, people are acting on changing the 'hush,hush' mentality.
I can say from my own experience that protected sex was never spoken about. It is not common in the Indian culture to even talk about it. Some kids never discuss it with there parents and that has to do with there upbringings (what was spoken of and what was not).
Fortunately, television shows, friends and school taught me what 'safe sex' is, but I was much older when I took the time to learn it. I laugh to myself because I remember when I was 14 years old and I thought it took 9 months to get pregnant. That's how naive I was. Plus going to a catholic school for nine years of my life didn't really teach much on sex.
It was only when I went to a public school from grade 10-12, we learnt how to use a condom etc... (the old banana trick). It was all laughs and giggles at that age. But now looking back I am glad we were taught that.
I believe if young men and women were taught at an earlier age in India, then diseases would not be as prevalent. But yes, on a positive note it is changing for the better.
I am going to post a condom video ad. It is hilarious only because it reminds me of a 'condom' like characters who resemble care bears or Teletubbies but it does have some good stuff in it. Enjoy!
Oh and my quest still continues.
Program Planning (Condom Bindaas Bol! Campaign)
They focused on three parts:
1. Partnerships and Endorsements- "Famous television celebrities were recruited to record brief public service announcements to communicate the message."
2. Meetings with Editorial Boards of Major Publications- "Highlight the results of the research study about men's perceptions of condoms. Encouraging shopkeeper to increase sales by overcoming their embarrassment about selling the product to customers."
3. Use of New Media- (youtube)- "a video mailer was prepared that provided one scenario of how a shy customer is encouraged by a retailer to ask for a condom"
Condom Bindaas Bol! had a 22 percent increase in the condom market.
It was a very successful campaign. (Below I have listed what they did to make it so successful)
Whenever I go to India I often find that talking about sex or even saying the word is still used very quietly. The ironic issue for me was that India has population of over 1 billion and you would think by now it would be an openly spoken topic. But no it isn't. It's slowly beginning to be and I am on a mini-quest as to why it wasn't examined earlier.
One of the reasons I found was, the topic of sex and condom use still has a social stigma attached to it. I also believe it to be because of our elder generations (Indian men and women) who were brought up thinking that sex should be very hush, hush.
Most women and men, especially in rural parts of India are just beginning to be educated about the topic. HIV levels are quite high in India and recently, people are acting on changing the 'hush,hush' mentality.
I can say from my own experience that protected sex was never spoken about. It is not common in the Indian culture to even talk about it. Some kids never discuss it with there parents and that has to do with there upbringings (what was spoken of and what was not).
Fortunately, television shows, friends and school taught me what 'safe sex' is, but I was much older when I took the time to learn it. I laugh to myself because I remember when I was 14 years old and I thought it took 9 months to get pregnant. That's how naive I was. Plus going to a catholic school for nine years of my life didn't really teach much on sex.
It was only when I went to a public school from grade 10-12, we learnt how to use a condom etc... (the old banana trick). It was all laughs and giggles at that age. But now looking back I am glad we were taught that.
I believe if young men and women were taught at an earlier age in India, then diseases would not be as prevalent. But yes, on a positive note it is changing for the better.
I am going to post a condom video ad. It is hilarious only because it reminds me of a 'condom' like characters who resemble care bears or Teletubbies but it does have some good stuff in it. Enjoy!
Oh and my quest still continues.
Program Planning (Condom Bindaas Bol! Campaign)
They focused on three parts:
1. Partnerships and Endorsements- "Famous television celebrities were recruited to record brief public service announcements to communicate the message."
2. Meetings with Editorial Boards of Major Publications- "Highlight the results of the research study about men's perceptions of condoms. Encouraging shopkeeper to increase sales by overcoming their embarrassment about selling the product to customers."
3. Use of New Media- (youtube)- "a video mailer was prepared that provided one scenario of how a shy customer is encouraged by a retailer to ask for a condom"
Condom Bindaas Bol! had a 22 percent increase in the condom market.
