A survey revealed that well-heeled Singaporean men believe they are far less likely to be infected by the sexually-transmitted disease than homosexuals, drug abusers or men who use prostitutes. However, 17 per cent of those who tested HIV positive were professionals, according to the HPB.
A campaign created by DDB Singapore centred on the idea of an HIV credit card, for which ‘membership doesn’t discriminate’.
“Professional men tend to think they know it all and too often turn a deaf ear if they feel they’re being preached to,” said David Tang, the agency’s president and CEO. “We needed a fresh, new angle to highlight that with Aids, everyone is fair game.”
The credit card idea played on the target group’s materialistic tendencies - their ambitions to attain the 5Cs (cash, car, credit card, condominium and country club).
“Mirroring other credit card communications, we portrayed a good-looking couple holding a prestigious-looking credit card, with ‘HIV’ prominently displayed, and ‘Aids’ where you’d expect to see the card issuer’s symbol. Playing off the famous MasterCard campaign, we gave the line ‘there are some things in the world money cannot buy’ new meaning,” said Tang.
The campaign ran in print and on outdoor sites in busy business districts. Promoters handed out flyers and t-shirts introducing the credit card for which no application was necessary, and no minimum income was required.
The campaign coincides with an open tender for the HPB’s S$5 million (US$3.5 million) advertising account.
DDB Singapore is contesting the review with fellow incumbent Ogilvy & Mather, among others.
The brief includes media, events, activation and digital as well as advertising for the HPB’s HIV\Aids campaigns as well as its anti-smoking and gambling health activity.
