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Author Topic: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy  (Read 4925 times)

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Offline delicious

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Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« on: November 18, 2009, 09:10:39 pm »
Hi everyone,

I'm curious to know what you guys think about these controversial ads produced by the Minnesota AIDS Project to promote the 2010 MN AIDS Walk.  The Star Tribune wrote a big story today weighing the pros and the cons, but I really want to know how the HIV positive community feels about this debate.  Is it OK to use nearly naked men to raise money and awareness for HIV, or is that overly sexualizing the disease in an irresponsible way?

Here's the link to the article:
http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/health/70384722.html?elr=KArks7PYDiaK7DUvDE7aL_V_BD77:DiiUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aULPQL7PQLanchO7DiUr 

It was also written about in an academic blog: http://sexinadvertising.blogspot.com/

Let me know what you think!

Offline bocker3

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2009, 10:20:24 pm »
Who cares??  Sex sells -- and this is about advertising something.  Why do people need to find controversy in everything.  Take part in the walk if you want or don't.  Ugh!


Offline GNYC09

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #2 on: November 18, 2009, 11:12:40 pm »
I think these ads are poorly thought out.  The first article nails it on the head, "Sex sells. But is it appropriate when what you're promoting is prevention of the world's deadliest sex-related disease?"

Hello, the ads are to fundraise for an AIDS organization, not for disco night at Splash/Heaven/[insert gay club here].

Offline BT65

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #3 on: November 19, 2009, 05:46:09 am »
world's deadliest sex-related disease?"

HIV is not always a "sex-related disease."
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Offline bocker3

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #4 on: November 19, 2009, 07:53:58 am »
I think these ads are poorly thought out.  The first article nails it on the head, "Sex sells. But is it appropriate when what you're promoting is prevention of the world's deadliest sex-related disease?"

Hello, the ads are to fundraise for an AIDS organization, not for disco night at Splash/Heaven/[insert gay club here].

Oh please -- I get so tired of people getting bent out of shape over advertising.  The fact is that all these "wonderful" looking people do, in fact, look like SOME folks with HIV, yes HIV has ravaged many people's bodies, but would you have advertisers use ONLY those images?  Do you want these fundraisers to be successful.  Should this ASO settle for less fundraising $$ to appease your sensibilities?? -- like it or not sex sells in advertising.
Getting upset with the advertiser and/or the purchaser of the advertising is insane.  If you want to get upset at someone, get upset at the general public who respond to the sex that advertisers use to sell things.  IF IT DIDN'T WORK IT WOULDN'T BE USED.

Mike

Offline mecch

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #5 on: November 19, 2009, 09:18:30 am »
Haven't been on an AIDS walk in years. Its a rather atheletic endeavor. Any kind of sports and healthy activity to raise money and awareness seems like a good idea.

If the guys who participate are actually sexy and doing that kind of thing - shirtless etc etc, - then the pictures represent the reality so where's the problem. 
“From each, according to his ability; to each, according to his need” 1875 K Marx

Offline emeraldize

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #6 on: November 19, 2009, 12:28:21 pm »
Looked at the ad. It's a quality piece of marketing for sure. Buff young guy. And I love the double intendre of " How Much Will You Raise?" emblazoned across the pelvis.

I'm way older than the model and the demographic to which this type of campaign is geared, but I think it's well done and temptingly tasteful. And, I have been involved in marketing/communication, so I'm kinda picky about this stuff.

The primary message I envision arising with viewers of this ad alone is Hey, if I don't walk, or can't walk, I'll help fund a young buck who will be walking.

No matter who you are in Minnesota, male, female, gay or straight, ya just might show up on the sidelines on Walk Day to cheer 'em on if you think you're gonna look at some young hide, or make a new friend with old hide. There's a rejuvenation factor present in being near the energy of youth.

Having looked closely at a Calvin Klein, super sexy hot ad the other day, this sweet MAP ad is super tame by comparison. Sex has been selling and will sell for a long time. AIDS Walks all over the country have fizzled and failed---if there's a shot that this will pump up the volume for their walk, I say good!

And, good luck to them. I hope they raise a ton of money, eyebrows, libidos, blood pressure and hope.
« Last Edit: November 19, 2009, 02:39:53 pm by emeraldize »

Offline Ann

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #7 on: November 19, 2009, 01:05:10 pm »
I think these ads are poorly thought out.  The first article nails it on the head, "Sex sells. But is it appropriate when what you're promoting is prevention of the world's deadliest sex-related disease?"

Hello, the ads are to fundraise for an AIDS organization, not for disco night at Splash/Heaven/[insert gay club here].

But there's also a quote in that article from LorraineTeel, executive director of MAP for 19 years.

If we can use sex to sell toothpaste and cars, why not use it to talk about having safer sex?

I absolutely agree. What better than a sexy ad to facilitate talking about safer sex and hiv? Sexual transmission of hiv doesn't happen in unsexy ways, at least not usually. It goes hand in hand and in my opinion, it is totally appropriate to use sexual imagery to get people's attention when you want them to know something about hiv, whether it is fundraising or safer sex info. People have sex, always have, always will. Why pretend otherwise?

Ann
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Offline GSOgymrat

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #8 on: November 19, 2009, 03:40:22 pm »
I don't object to the ad but I don't know if sexy ads work when advertising for a fund raiser. As a gay man it might grab my attention for 2 seconds but I don't think it would make me attend. This event isn't about targeting young gay men for HIV education, it's about raising money, right? I would think you would want to appeal to as many people as possible, especially since HIV isn't a gay disease. Maybe having an ad like this in a gay newspaper and a less sexual ad for schools, churches and businesses would be more effective.

Offline GNYC09

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #9 on: November 19, 2009, 06:33:52 pm »
Oh please -- I get so tired of people getting bent out of shape over advertising.  The fact is that all these "wonderful" looking people do, in fact, look like SOME folks with HIV, yes HIV has ravaged many people's bodies, but would you have advertisers use ONLY those images?  Do you want these fundraisers to be successful.  Should this ASO settle for less fundraising $$ to appease your sensibilities?? -- like it or not sex sells in advertising.
Getting upset with the advertiser and/or the purchaser of the advertising is insane.  If you want to get upset at someone, get upset at the general public who respond to the sex that advertisers use to sell things.  IF IT DIDN'T WORK IT WOULDN'T BE USED.

Mike

I'm not upset.  But it sounds like you might be?

And lots of crappy ads are used by clueless advertisers. Remember the recent one from Brazil that showed planes crashing into NYC skyscrapers?
« Last Edit: November 19, 2009, 06:40:02 pm by GNYC09 »

Offline Ann

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2009, 07:46:58 pm »

I don't object to the ad but I don't know if sexy ads work when advertising for a fund raiser.


Well, they do say there's no such thing as bad publicity and this ad campaign certainly has got people talking and hopefully thinking too.
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"...health will finally be seen not as a blessing to be wished for, but as a human right to be fought for." Kofi Annan

Nymphomaniac: a woman as obsessed with sex as an average man. Mignon McLaughlin

HIV is certainly character-building. It's made me see all of the shallow things we cling to, like ego and vanity. Of course, I'd rather have a few more T-cells and a little less character. Randy Shilts

Offline GSOgymrat

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #11 on: November 19, 2009, 08:04:10 pm »
The most effective way to get me to attend one of these charity events is if someone I know asks me to go. Word of mouth is the best advertising.

Offline leatherman

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #12 on: November 19, 2009, 08:57:16 pm »
I would think you would want to appeal to as many people as possible, especially since HIV isn't a gay disease.
I've been thinking about this one and your comment makes a lot of sense.

I take it this marketing campaign is to raise money and awareness of the disease in the community. Since it's not a prevention campaign there is no reason to use the "sex sells" approach to appeal to all those "horny 20 and 30 yr old gay men". The target audience should be the entire community (that has money to donate ;) ). Portraying HIV as a gay disease (nothing like keeping the stigma and misunderstanding going ::)), and using the sex angle (cause we know how gay guys have no real personalities and do nothing but screw like bunnies ::) ) does seem like the wrong way to market this event.

I guess these ads would work though in recruiting the hot young guys to do the walking;
but it sure wouldn't get my mom or grandmother to pony up the money  ;)
leatherman (aka Michael)

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You were leaning in to speak to me
Acting like a mover shaker
Dancing to Madonna then you kissed me
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Offline bocker3

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #13 on: November 19, 2009, 10:06:39 pm »
Look -- ads are supposed to grab your attention and stick in your mind, so clearly these are working.  As Ann pointed out -- it's got all this attention -- in these rooms, in the papers, etc, etc.  Seems to me to point to a pretty successful advertising campaign.

Oh, and GNYC09, I'm not upset about the ads at all -- I'm simply sick of people looking for controversy where none exists.

Mike

Offline skeebo1969

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #14 on: November 19, 2009, 10:49:09 pm »
I don't see how advertising like this helps one bit regarding the general public perception of those living with HIV.  Who is the target audience by the way?  I mean we are talking about issues like AIDS awareness right?  So let me get this straight, sex sells AIDS awareness?  If that ain't a crock of shit then I don't know what is....

And of course Bocker I'll twist ya comments to fill my needs here.  I don't see no damn controversy either, advertising like this has been going on for many years and it's proven  to fail miserably towards making people aware.
I despise the song Love is in the Air, you should too.

Offline bocker3

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #15 on: November 20, 2009, 07:34:00 am »
I don't see how advertising like this helps one bit regarding the general public perception of those living with HIV.  Who is the target audience by the way?  I mean we are talking about issues like AIDS awareness right?  So let me get this straight, sex sells AIDS awareness?  If that ain't a crock of shit then I don't know what is....

And of course Bocker I'll twist ya comments to fill my needs here.  I don't see no damn controversy either, advertising like this has been going on for many years and it's proven  to fail miserably towards making people aware.

Ummm...  the ads are about an AIDS walk -- to raise awareness of the fundraiser.  It's being talked about here and in newspapers, so I would call that working pretty well.  Hell, without these ads and the ensuing discussion I would never have even known that there was an AIDS Walk in Minnesota.

Edited to add: 
An almost naked hot looking man is to sure to do a better job at getting someone's attention (gay or straight, I might add) than a picture of a middle-aged, overweight, balding man (like me) ever would.  Once you have someone's attention, they are more likely to read the words on your ad. At the end of the day THAT is what advertising is supposed to do.

Mike
« Last Edit: November 20, 2009, 07:38:18 am by bocker3 »

Offline J.R.E.

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #16 on: November 20, 2009, 07:40:07 am »
 Hell, without these ads and the ensuing discussion I would never have even known that there was an AIDS Walk in Minnesota.

Mike

You can find the aidswalks here :

http://www.aidswalk.org/


I don't like that ad at all.


Ray
Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

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Offline carousel

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #17 on: November 20, 2009, 07:41:31 am »
I can see why this advert might aggravate some who've got nothing better to do.

The thing I don't understand is that the advert is that it is only about sex and doesn't really say anything about the actual walk or what or why it is fundraising.  

He's not even wearing trainers.

Offline GNYC09

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #18 on: November 20, 2009, 07:45:25 am »
Edited to add:  
An almost naked hot looking man is to sure to do a better job at getting someone's attention (gay or straight, I might add) than a picture of a middle-aged, overweight, balding man (like me) ever would.  Once you have someone's attention, they are more likely to read the words on your ad. At the end of the day THAT is what advertising is supposed to do.
Mike
I agree with Skeebo.

And getting your attention and persuading you to take an action are two different things.  For example, Sarah Palin's grabbed my attention but she couldn't persuade me to buy her crappy book.  I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one  ;)

Offline Dachshund

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Re: Should AIDS Walk ads be sexy? Read about this controversy
« Reply #19 on: November 20, 2009, 07:56:45 am »
I agree with Skeebo.

And getting your attention and persuading you to take an action are two different things.  For example, Sarah Palin's grabbed my attention but she couldn't persuade me to buy her crappy book.  I guess we'll have to agree to disagree on this one  ;)

Me too.
« Last Edit: November 20, 2009, 08:04:20 am by Dachshund »

 


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