Issue
China faces a crushing HIV/ AIDS epidemic, some estimates suggest that by 2010, China could have up to 10 million people infected by the HIV virus. Public awareness regarding the disease is low, in particular with regards to who is at risk and how it is contracted. China AIDS Initiative (CAI) and the National Basketball Association (NBA) decided to create a public service announcement (PSA) that would rectify common misconceptions.
The PSA featured Yao Ming, a basketball hero both in his native China and in the United States, and Magic Johnson, a former L.A. Lakers superstar, who disclosed his own HIV-positive status in 1991. The series of PSAs were designed to help educate the Chinese public about HIV/AIDS prevention, dispel common mistaken beliefs about how the disease is transmitted, and encourage viewers to visit www.aids333.com, a Chinese-language AIDS information website.
In October 2004, our firm was approached to find the best strategy to distribute the PSA, in a way that would target at-risk demographics and maximize broadcast exposure on as many Chinese TV channels as possible.
Challenges
While the PSA was compelling to a Chinese audience, at this stage it lacked a great delivery. The PSA needed to overcome the stigma regarding HIV / AIDS that remained at local TV channels, and convince television executives to air the announcement, pro bono, in a targeted way that would maximize exposure and results. Our campaign had two primary objectives:
•Maximize the exposure of the PSA
•Identify the priority target audience for the PSA based on geographic and age segment considerations.
While the PSA was compelling to a Chinese audience, at this stage it lacked a great delivery. The PSA needed to overcome the stigma regarding HIV / AIDS that remained at local TV channels, and convince television executives to air the announcement, pro bono, in a targeted way that would maximize exposure and results. Our campaign had two primary objectives:
•Maximize the exposure of the PSA
•Identify the priority target audience for the PSA based on geographic and age segment considerations.
These were vital considerations given China’s huge and fragmented media landscape of more than one thousand TV stations spread across 23 provinces, and the fact that our resources did not incldue any real budget for media buying.
Insight
With a campaign based on the unique combination of technical expertise from the China Aids Initiative, the endorsement from the influential National Basketball Association and our firm’s on-the-ground media counsel, the PSA could deliver a powerful and relevant message when adequately distributed to the right target group.
With a campaign based on the unique combination of technical expertise from the China Aids Initiative, the endorsement from the influential National Basketball Association and our firm’s on-the-ground media counsel, the PSA could deliver a powerful and relevant message when adequately distributed to the right target group.
Creative Idea
The campaign would focus on the youth segment (15-25 year old) and viewers in provinces with high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates. This audience would be receptive to the PSA’s format (basket ball stars) and would also be familiar with the disease.
The campaign would focus on the youth segment (15-25 year old) and viewers in provinces with high HIV/AIDS prevalence rates. This audience would be receptive to the PSA’s format (basket ball stars) and would also be familiar with the disease.
Campaign
To target the appropriate audience, we focused on the provinces with high HIV/ AIDS prevalence rates and The youth segment, (roughly 15 to 25), which would be most receptive to the basketball theme of the PSA and also the most apt to change their behavior towards AIDS. One this had been established, the most effective channels could be identified; we worked with our media buying agency to select TV channels which had the relevant geographic reach and focus audience.
After this initial phase, TV stations were contacted to convince them to broadcast the PSA – pro bono. They key to achieving this was educating TV executives on the importance of the message, and the value of the PSA.
Outcome
The PSA was broadcasted on more than 24 TV channels throughout China, including all of the high risk provinces of Yunnan, Anhui, Shanxi, Hebei, Sichuan, Xinjinag, Henan and Inner Mongolia. In total, the Yao Ming/Magic Johnson PSA reached over 83 million viewers, making it one of the most viewed public safety announcements in China’s history.
To target the appropriate audience, we focused on the provinces with high HIV/ AIDS prevalence rates and The youth segment, (roughly 15 to 25), which would be most receptive to the basketball theme of the PSA and also the most apt to change their behavior towards AIDS. One this had been established, the most effective channels could be identified; we worked with our media buying agency to select TV channels which had the relevant geographic reach and focus audience.
After this initial phase, TV stations were contacted to convince them to broadcast the PSA – pro bono. They key to achieving this was educating TV executives on the importance of the message, and the value of the PSA.
Outcome
The PSA was broadcasted on more than 24 TV channels throughout China, including all of the high risk provinces of Yunnan, Anhui, Shanxi, Hebei, Sichuan, Xinjinag, Henan and Inner Mongolia. In total, the Yao Ming/Magic Johnson PSA reached over 83 million viewers, making it one of the most viewed public safety announcements in China’s history.
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