AIDS Concern eases fear of HIV testing

Non-governmental organisation AIDS Concern has teamed up with Havas Worldwide Hong Kong for a campaign to talk to gay men to ease hesitation and fear about checking for HIV.Going away from the conventional highlight of people’s risk in suffering from AIDS, the agency instead opted to focus the topic on the fear and concern about taking the first step - testing.The campaign leads with an “Early Check” online parody video inspired by a well-known TV commercial classic, starting from 8 October.https://vimeo.com/141503589By incorporating the key message in a lighthearted way, the video aims to encourage people to get an early check and be free from the unnecessary worries.Supporting that is an event activation. A "Get An Early Check" vending machine will be touring around target’s touch points from mid-October, accompanying with different outreaches and engagement activities for the MSM community.It aims to further engage target through interactions, and the community will have a chance to understand more about the topic, re-shape their mind-set and show their support to HIV check-up.They would also receive an exclusive kit from AIDS Concern for co-promoting the importance of safe sex.The campaign is further supported by a number of famous icons including Anthony Wong (黃耀明), Ellen Joyce Loo (盧凱彤), Dominic Ho (何浩文) and Sing Lam (林耀聲), as ambassadors by injecting their positive energy to share the inspiring reasons for taking HIV check-up.A pre-launch event launched on 20 September calling for people to “Get An Early Check”.[gallery link="file" ids="112818,112820,112821,112822,112823,112824,112825"]“This is our first full-scaled advertising campaign with active communication to the MSM community. We are very excited about its launch by trying a first-ever communication angle” said Mandy Cheung, programme director of AIDS Concern.Kenneth Tung, creative director of Havas Worldwide Hong Kong, said when talking about HIV checks, people have seen it as either too embarrassing, sensitive or outright taboo."We want the public to realize that some worries are simply 'too much' when they put so many labels to the check, and ignore the fact it is actually a normal check up for one’s health. The concerns frightening them are indeed unnecessary."