Terrence Higgins Trust asks: How much should you pay for sex?
Howard Lake | 19 November 2007 | News
Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is launching a new advertising campaign today to raise awareness of the stigma that people living with HIV face in their day to day lives. As the charity marks its 25th anniversary year, the campaign aims to increase understanding about the realities of living with HIV, and raise vital funds for the charity.
Euro RSCG London created the adverts for THT on a pro-bono basis. The campaign strapline: “How much should you pay for sex?” highlights the impact of an HIV diagnosis and the stigma and isolation some people face. Some even feel unable to talk to family and friends, yet THT feels no-one should have to cope with HIV alone.
Treatments available today mean deaths from AIDS related illnesses are now quite rare in the UK. Although HIV might be less visible in society, the epidemic has not gone away, and more people than ever before were newly diagnosed with HIV in 2005. In London, where the adverts will go on display, over 3000 people were diagnosed with HIV in 2005.
Debbie Holmes, Director of Fundraising at Terrence Higgins Trust says: “We don’t believe that anyone should pay for sex with their health, or by losing their job or their friends. However, the stigma associated with HIV means that sometimes people end up feeling very alone.
Debbie adds: “We wanted to take a different approach with this campaign and challenge the misconceptions around HIV. We also hope it will encourage people to make a donation so that THT can continue to provide free testing, counselling, support and information for anyone who needs it. “
Gerry Moira, Director of Creativity at Euro RSCG London: “The problem with some charity appeals is that their advertising tends to self-select a predisposed audience. The ambiguity and mordant irony of this headline is designed to engage a broader target with the work of Terrence Higgins Trust, raising awareness and, hopefully, funds.”
The cost of the media space for the adverts has been generously supported by Barclays. The adverts will go on display at various tube stations and DLR trains around London, from Monday 19th November until Sunday 2nd December.
Ends
For further information please contact Lucy Handford on 020 7812 1623 / lu***********@th*.uk or Sally Sharpe on 020 7812 1625 / sa**********@th*.uk
Notes to editors:
Terrence Higgins Trust is the UK’s leading HIV and sexual health charity, providing a wide range of services across England, Wales and Scotland. The charity also campaigns and lobbies for greater political and public understanding of the personal, social and medical impact of HIV and sexual ill health.
For more information on Euro RSCG London, contact: 020 7240 4111 or visit:
www.eurorscglondon.co.uk
Barclays has long been committed to investing in the communities where we live and work around the world. To ensure we can deliver the most sustainable value, our community investment programme focuses on areas where we can use our skills and expertise, as well as our money, to help disadvantaged people help themselves work towards financial independence and security.
Barclays also strives to strengthen the local communities where we live and work, from supporting organisations like Changing Faces to grassroots sports through Barclays Spaces for Sports. If it matters to people in the local community, it matters to us.
Last year Barclays invested £46.5 million in our communities around the world. At the heart of our programme is the desire to encourage and inspire our people to get involved in the causes they care about most. More than 33,000 Barclays employees received direct support for their volunteering, fundraising and regular giving last year, to the benefit of more than 8,200 community organisations.
Lucy Handford
Press Officer
Terrence Higgins Trust
314-320 Gray’s Inn Road | London | WC1X 8DP
Tel: 020 7812 1623
http://www.tht.org.uk/mediacentre/
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.