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Ornico ad of the week
 

Love Life


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Love Life keeps missing the mark

Surely to goodness there is somebody at this organisation who must understand that Aids is a serious issue that needs to be taken seriously. I keep seeing these inane commercials from Love Life that say nothing and aren't telling people that there is an issue to be addressed.

Come on, millions are dying and this stupid communcation is dished up. Get a real agency that understands communication and get rid of all these people who are taking the money and running. Our HIV numbers keep rising. Do something responsible and stop wasting tax payers money and South African lives!30 Jun 2009 12:34

Money well spent  by  Trina DasGupta

As loveLife’s Media Director, I’d like to respond to the feedback.

Firstly, the recently released HSRC report titled, “South African National HIV Prevalence, Incident, Behaviour and Communication Survey 2008 – A turning tide amongst teenagers,” shows a demonstrated reduction in the incidence of HIV amongst teenagers - loveLife’s core demographic that we have reached for the past 10 years. The report states, “it was found that there was a substantial decrease in incidence in 2008 in comparison to 2002 and 2005, especially for the single age groups 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19.”

loveLife as an HIV prevention initiative recognizes that these declines however are not enough, which is why loveLife continues its effort to eradicate the epidemic.

Secondly, regarding the current PSA, the strategy is based on the key drivers of the HIV epidemic in South Africa, as demonstrated in research, as well as the key triggers to behaviour change.

In South Africa, youth have got the message about HIV. They have high levels of awareness and knowledge about the virus and how to protect themselves from becoming infected. However young people, especially those in marginalised communities, do not protect themselves (even knowing the risks) because they tend to tolerate risk more due to their perception of a lack of immediate opportunity. For example, for a young person living in a community where there is 80% unemployment (such as Nongoma, KZN), he/she often feels like their life will never change, thus protecting themselves from HIV becomes low on their priority list and sex is used as an escape from their circumstances, just as much as drugs and alcohol.

loveLife’s “Make Your Move” Campaign and strategy is designed to address the core social determinants of the epidemic by helping young people develop personal initiative, better negotiate day-to-day pressures, and to create links to opportunity - in turn, helping young people work towards a better future, giving them reason to protect themselves against HIV. (Please note, this does not mean core sexual health information is not shared – as it is through our 6000 peer educators that reach roughly 500 000 young people a month through our face-to-face programmes. What it means is that that we take a holistic approach to HIV prevention to reach the root of the problem.)

The current PSA draws from this strategy building on what we know to be the three key triggers to behaviour change:
• A sense of identity,
• Belonging and
• Purpose.

This year’s campaign focuses on identity – hence asking young people the question, “Who are you?”

Research indicates that young people who feel that they can really BE SOME ONE are less likely to put themselves at risk for HIV. They have a sense of personal opportunity and possibility – that they can make choices for themselves and be part of the mainstream of society.
We understand that identity is a lifetime’s journey, but we are working to get young people to begin to think about who they are at an early stage in a positive direction.
The PSA is designed not to give young people any answers, but more importantly, to provoke many questions. The PSA has been tested amongst our target audience – who reported that they understood the message.

Further, the creative concept of the alter ego is utilized to ensure there is no judgment. Young people need to ask themselves who they are and what they stand for – not adults or anyone else. It is this internal dialogue that is imperative to help young people make their move, such that they believe in themselves to take the steps to better their lives and also so they can know which moves are best for them.

Please also know that this PSA is one piece of a much larger organizational strategy.

While it provokes questions, facilitated exercises are being held throughout the country with young people face-to-face to discuss the very questions and issues the PSA brings up.

loveLife believes 100% that media alone CANNOT create behaviour change, but it is simply a tool to help provoke thinking, unpack issues and to provide youth a platform.

Behaviour change happens on the ground through our sites and 6000 peer educators at a face to face level.

And it is through all of loveLife’s programmes and media that the HSRC determined that loveLife is the most well known brand in HIV prevention, reaching 79,4% of all South African youth in 2008, helping to lead to the reduction in HIV incidence amongst teenagers.

We believe that the money has been WELL spent.

Should you require any research indicated in my response, please do not hesitate to contact our PR Officer, Mr. Fareed Mohammed at our head office in JHB (011 523 1000).1 Jul 2009 15:41

I hear your well though out response.

But do you really and seriously believe that this communication is telling kids anything?

I seriously doubt it. I think it is a combination of pressure and all the media that is working. I have watched the Love Life work over the years and fail to see how any of the inane work can be considered to impact on our youth. Thank goodness other responsible marketers like Coca Cola etc have done work that has a real and impactful message. You and I both know that research can be worked to justify anything we want. I have years of experience of that.

I remain totally unconvinced that Love Life serves any purpose. That is my opinion and nothing will convince me otherwise.1 Jul 2009 16:27

True that...  by  Gabza

I personally also think that Love Life ads are not really sending the message across, ok you are trying to communicate with the youth out there, for that I'm glad, but please simplify your Ads, please do some research & send the message across as HIV/ Aids is still killing us..... you guys got a big budget to work with... come on be creative for crying out loud, this is a serious matter we taliking about here.....2 Jul 2009 09:41

To: The Creative Director  by  Listen for a change

I have never really understood the Love Life ads and as far as I can remember, they have always had to justify their campaigns, as no one but themsleves understand them. By now I would have thought that someone would have stopped and listened to someone else's voice for a change. The above explanation is the voice of someone who really enjoys hearing themselves but not others'.
Until Love Life catches a wake up and realises that philisophising the HIV/ AIDS pandemic will not help anyone but swell the pockets of the research houses and ad agencies, all their ads will remain a mystery deeper than the HIV/ AIDS challenge.2 Jul 2009 15:45

19 and single  by  Susan

This ad is absolute Sh*te. I fall in the targeted age group of 19 and single.
I should send love life an invoice for the time I wasted watching this commercial. You're supposed to be addressing a serious issue here and you spend 30 seconds of this ad asking me who am I...? who am I... Who. the. F. is YOU!?
This ad is completely off the mark and would be more impactful if it listed "have sex with out a condom and you'll possibly get something much worse than this ad" in the end frame - ja, that would keep my legs closed. For sure.
For now, I'll continue to love life, so long as I dont have you insulting my intelligence again with cr*p like this.3 Jul 2009 09:56

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