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How personal is your question on HIV/AID?
SMS 'ASK' to 7827 and get your
answer...like thousands of people already have...!
For the first time in India, an initiative urges you to seek the most specific information you would require on HIV/AIDS. 'Heroes Project', the largest non-governmental public service campaign in India, has launched a one-of-a-kind initiative called Specific Query Response (SQR). Marking the launch of the second public service announcement (PSA), the campaign already boasts of over 25,000 SMSes in the span of one month.
This unique initiative encourages an individual to ask ANY question on HIV/AIDS - it could be complicated, intimate, intense or personal - and send it as an SMS to 7827. He/she would get a tailor-made answer to his/her specific query on his/her mobile phone within 24 hours from a trained medical counsellor. The campaign has received noteworthy response as it provides the individual with an open avenue for information on HIV/AIDS that is easily accessible within arm's reach of his own mobile phone, at the same time ensures complete privacy and confidentiality.
Heroes Project's partnership with STAR India, which began in 2004, has evolved from just airing of public service announcements (PSAs) for general awareness to engaging platforms with a distinct 'Call-to-action' message. For the SQR initiative, Star has set up the back-end and has provided an Internet link to all the queries on HIV/AIDS sent to 7827 which are answered by a trained medical counsellor from Heroes Project. This initiative, targeted at urban and semi-urban youth will be rolled out for three months - i.e. till April 2007.
Speaking on the initiative, Kanika Singh, executive director, Heroes Project, says, "HIV/AIDS is a sensitive issue and people seeking information may have their own specific question to ask, the answer to which may not be clarified with general information. Keeping this need in mind, to allow easy and accurate flow of information, Specific Query Response has been designed and the remarkable initial response speaks for itself. Also encouraging is the support we have received from our partners, especially Star India, all of whom are working with us on a pro bono basis; reiterating our belief in the initiative."
The campaign is being rolled out through a 360 degree approach. The PSAs are being aired on the Star bouquet of channels, namely Star Plus, Star One, Star World, Star Movies, Star Gold, Star Utsav, Star Vijay and [v] India.
Additional mediums have been employed through the Internet, emailers, posters, presence at events, voice promotions, in-store promotions, SMS campaigns, etc.
Leading advertising and media portals viz. www.agencyfaqs.com,
www.indiantelevision.com, www.exchange4media.com, TAG Media Network Inc - the country's first in-store television network, etc., have supported the initiative, thus enabling wider reach.
About Heroes Project - www.heroesprojectindia.org: The Heroes Project is a national initiative targeting the HIV/AIDS epidemic through the reduction of stigma and discrimination through mass media and societal leader programs.
A program of Healing the Divide, the project found its beginnings in 'A Time for Heroes', an event held in Mumbai in December 2002 that raised funds for pediatric AIDS. The Heroes Project is the largest non-governmental media campaign garnering nearly 50 per cent of the media exposure on HIV/AIDS in India. The project has engaged nearly a 100 celebrities and trained nearly 500 writers and producers in creating HIV/AIDS messaging.
For more details, please contact:
Rimmi Harindran
Heroes Project
# 98193 11924/ 022 25194713/14
rimmih@heroesprojectindia.org
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