The advertising of condoms - Term Paper Example

Condom and pills are equally popular as methods of contraception as per data collected by the Office for National Statistics (Daily Mail, 2009). This was the outcome of a £5.2 million campaign by the Department of Health conducted with the view of getting more women to carry condoms. Even in developing countries like Thailand condoms are 90% effective in preventing HIV transmission (Hearst & Chen, 2004). However, in countries such as Botswana and Cameroon the sale of condom rose but so did the incidences of HJIV transmission, thereby suggesting that condom use does not reduce HIV and AIDS transmission.

No details were available of who used the condoms. Thus condom use might be high among the general public and low among those in high risk. Again, inconsistent use leads to higher risk of HIV transmission. Condom promotion can be successful among commercial sex workers although promoting its use to the general public is difficult. Several condom-promoting strategies have been employed such as free distribution among sex workers and lowering prices but the most successful strategy has been social marketing.

In Uganda use of condom was very low until social marketing began in 1990s. The developed and the developing countries had the same response to the promotion of condoms – it would encourage sexual activity with condoms rather than encourage abstinence. This attitude affects advertisement design in this sector. 2. Social marketing Social marketing uses the four marketing Ps – product, price, placement and position – as is used for generic products. For a global strategy of the control of HIV social marketing of condoms has been adopted as the key element (Cohen, Farley, Bedimo-Etame & Scribner, 1999).

In the US when condom was freely distributed and readily visible and accessible through health care facilities, the use of condoms increased particularly among those at a high risk of HIV and STIs. Condom social marketing in the US was found to be feasible, acceptable and a promising intervention that aided in reducing the number of incidences in STDs. There was relatively small opposition to the program from groups that were traditionally opposed to condoms. Social marketing for condoms is used both for HIV prevention and family planning.

Selling condoms falls under social marketing which is not about coercion or inducement. The social marketers try to induce change by applying the principal of exchange (Stead, Gordon, Angus, & McDermott, 2007). It recognizes that the change must bring clear benefit to the customer. Social marketing also involves stages such as targeting, positioning and formulating the marketing mix as generic marketing. Social marketing is concerned with welfare of the society and is not meant for the benefit of the organization.

This is the essence of social marketing. Social marketing has also been defined as the systematic application of marketing concepts and techniques to achieve specific behaviour goals (Lefebvre, 2011). In developed countries social marketing takes the route of persuasive communications for