Issued by: GCIS
4 July 2000
The Department of Health has undertaken a far-reaching campaign using a number of outdoor advertising media. In a strategically positioned targeting exercise, the nationwide campaign includes advertising on billboards (through Corpcom Outdoor and Primedia), taxis and buses (through ComutaNet), and trains (through GMR Transit Media). This effort illustrates the ongoing partnership between government and the advertising sector. The commitment from this sector as part of its social responsibility programme further strengthens the movement against HIV-AIDS launched by then-Deputy President, now President, Thabo Mbeki, in 1998.
The multi-million Rand campaign is targeting all South Africans, with special focus on the youth and people living in rural areas, and aims at promoting a change in behaviour through increasing public awareness of HIV/AIDS. Outdoor advertising has been selected as a medium because of its highly cost-effective impact as a mass medium, and because the various outdoor elements allow for the focused geographical positioning of the campaign's message.
Billboards
These include a mix of 48 sheet and 12 sheet billboards at high traffic areas such as taxi and bus ranks, shopping centres and sports grounds, as well as adjacent to busy roads, so reaching both pedestrian and vehicle traffic. Also included in the campaign are security gate information panels, which are mini-billboards attached to the security gates which enclose stores and spazas. These are ideally positioned at eye level, and offer a focused way of targeting local communities.
With 21.7 million commuters a day using public transport in South Africa, advertising on taxis, trains and buses forms an essential element of the campaign:
Taxi Advertising
Hundreds of taxis across the country will promote the campaign through advertising on their side panels and rear windows, as well as interior taxi advertising. Taxi advertising allows for the strategic targeting of selected routes and geographical locations, with the added benefit that a high percentage of the media revenue is re-invested into the taxi industry, as the taxi owners are paid to carry the advertising message.
Buses
Buses are an extremely popular form of public transport, with research indicating that 2.9 million people have travelled on a bus in the past seven days. Buses also facilitate the deep rural penetration of the advertising message, offering high visual impact through the size of the medium.
Trains
Once again research indicates that trains form an integral part of most South Africans' daily lives, with 91% of train commuters using this form of transport four or more days a week. Once again specific routes can be selected, and interior advertising can be used to reinforce the exterior advertising message.
For further information please contact:
Gaynor Lawson at (011) 659-0697/082 558-8928 and Max de Jong
(011) 348-1803/083 463-8863.