"We've always been involved in the fight against HIV/Aids," says Mike Joubert, MD of Levi Strauss South Africa. "This campaign ensures that we engage with our core target market and assist South Africa's youth in making the right decisions."
The Levi's Red for Life/New Start mobile facilities are designed to address the needs of the young adult market - a market the Levi's brand knows very well. The campaign is a part of a bigger strategy that empowers young adults to work out individual plans for themselves that helps them to live life safe and healthy in the age of Aids.
"The HIV & Aids pandemic poses a serious threat to the development of a prosperous future for the youth of Mzansi," says Vuyo Dyantyi, SABC 1's marketing manager.
"It is therefore imperative that Mzansi's leading television brand involves itself in this crucial social intervention to conscientise and empower the youth to face this threat effectively. Therefore, SABC1 seeks to encourage a positive and responsible attitude to ensure our continued success and prosperity as a nation."
The programme will travel though Gauteng, Durban and Cape Town, visiting campuses, malls and townships, from 14 October 2006 until 1 December.
Key to the programme has been the relationship between the Levi's brand and New Start supported by an array of expert input. HIV consultant Thulani Glenville-Grey assisted in designing the messaging, as well as augmenting New Start counsellors with young adult training.
People, specifically young adults, find testing scary, intrusive and often uncomfortable. A common sentiment is "ignorance is bliss"; however, the Levi's Red For Life testing plans to counter this mindset by giving everyone easier access and making the whole procedure more commonplace but with the necessary guidance of trained and compassionate councillors. Testing is not a cold, alienating medical procedure that must take place in clinics and frightening places, but a very normal part of a healthy, sexually active lifestyle.
For those who do test positive, Levi's Red for Life/New Start offers comprehensive counselling, an action/treatment referral programme as well as four months of free counselling. The goal is to ensure that these new people living with HIV/Aids (PLWHA) know where to go, what they need to do and how to manage living a healthy life given their newfound status.
Rewarding early adopters
The testing campaign kicked off ten days prior to the Levi's Rage for the Revolution concert on 28 October, Johannesburg - a key event in the Levi's Red for Life campaign. Those who test before the festival will be offered a free ticket to Rage - not as an incentive but as a reward for being "early adopters".
Commenting on its support for Levi'sRed For Life, Metro FM station manager Matona Ntshona says: "One day people will look back and ask what did you do in the struggle against HIV/AIDS . And we want to be able to say that we were and will continue to be at the forefront of any initiative involved in combating HIV/AIDS. We owe it to all South Africans to ensure we are doing all we can. "
For more information, tune in to 5FM, Metro FM and SABC 1 or visit www.levis.co.za.
