Marketing across culture: HIV/AIDS Prevention Campaigns in Mexico - Coursework Example

?  (Marketing across culture) By Presented to Location Due Mexico is a multicultural country which implies that there are diverse people from different ethnic ground with diverse cultures, norms, values and beliefs. Major stakeholders involved in the HIV/AIDS prevention campaigns have faced a lot of challenges in their campaign activities attributed by these diversifications, this is further complicated by the complicated demographic set up and the existence of various segments of the target audience. With all these factors taken into consideration activists and the major stakeholders have faced challenges in communicating sensitive messages on HIV/AIDS which is considered by most of the audience as secret and sensitive ( Freimuth 2007). To ensure that this important sensitive message on HIV/AIDS prevention reaches the target audience in a convenient and comfortable manner it is important for the organizers for these campaign to design a suitable and appropriate way to convey these messages (Singh 2006). There is no specific way in which the HIV/AIDS sensitive message can be conveyed in a diversified multicultural country like Mexico. The suitable way that the conveyance of these sensitive messages on HIV/AIDS can be as follows: the first step is to identify the target audience that the message should finally reach out, this step is the most important because it ensures that the desired objective is achieved which can be measured by the determining the implication and influence of the specific message on the target audience and this further ensure that message is in consistent with the requirements of the target audience (Sharma 2006). The second step is to adapt a prevention message that is consistent with the cultures, norms and beliefs of the specific target audience, successful implementation of this step ensures that the prevention message fits the target audience in a convenient way whereby they do not feel that their cultures as well as their social being rights have been violated thus this is the most crucial step in making sure that the sensitive messages are not ignored by the audience on the basis of their cultural background and their diversity of the identities(Sharma 2006). The final step in communicating sensitive messages on HIV/AIDS prevention messages is the identification and the selection of a suitable and appropriate way that the sensitive prevention messages can be successfully communicated to the target audience selected from the various identified segments ( Freimuth 2007). The channels of communication are important in the conveyance and reaching out the audience therefore channels and medium of communication chosen should be able to reach out the mass targeted audience. Suitable and appropriate channel of communication ensures that the conveyed message reaches the target audience in an effective way and at the right time and also bringing convenience to the senders of the message in terms of costs as well as time. In addition to the above identified guidelines it is important to put emphasis on the identification and selection of gender sensitive ways to reach out the target audience and also on the nature of the intended communication information. This is important putting into consideration that the most of the Mexican cultures considers men to being powerful and they cannot get sick or become weak therefore the communicated sensitive message should not be in conflict with such related norms and beliefs. The gender attributes of the target audience has a great influence in the development of the prevention message, the location, time and the effectiveness of the method that is used in the conveyance of the message. It is also important for the stakeholders who are involved in the conveyance of the message to have the background information on the target audience. The key major stakeholders who can effectively convey the HIV/AIDS prevention messages in Mexican diversified cultures include: Community members who are the major players in these campaigns, they are individuals and organizations who provide prevention information to the community through one on one communications, workshops, community forums and meetings; policy makers create legislation and are responsible for budgetary allocations on the specific programs that carry out campaigns on the HIV/AIDS prevention. Policy makers should appropriate funds to foundations such as government agencies and non-governmental organizations that shall be responsible with the campaigns directly to the target audience; finally is the media who control access to the various channels of communication available to the target audience, they are very important in conveying the sensitive prevention messages to reach out the broad audience. The best strategy for communicating the HIV/AIDS prevention messages should be informative way of conveying messages. Informative communication involves interaction of thoughts between the individuals and the surrounding environment. This communication strategy is advantageous to the major stakeholders who are involved in these campaigns on the HIV/AIDS prevention. The Mexican target audience which is the main target of the prevention messages is so much diversified and that is a high level of gender sensitivity which is a major hindrance to the general conveyance of the intended communication message (Singh 2006). The informative communication strategy ensures that the target audiences are engaged in the exchange of ideas and thoughts through interactions that are involved in the forums and meetings that are involved with the specific target audience as identified. Different target audiences are situated in various locations and involved in different activities thus the informative approach will ensure that they are each brought together and thereafter an action plan is initiated on the best way in which the communication message is conveyed and they are simulated to participated in the interactions involving the exchange of ideas and thoughts thus ensuring that the prevention message is effectively communicated (Umeh 2004). The ability of the Informative strategy of conveying sensitive HIV/AIDS messages to give attention and provide some kind of privacy to the specific target group enhances the good perception and attitudes of the audiences on the who HIV/AIDS prevention issues which in Mexican society is perceived to be a private and confidential issue which is not appropriate to discuss in the public. The informative strategy gives an avenues that the issues in well informed and the larger audience becomes aware of the issue and the strategy provides an avenue in which the more information is disseminated and the target audience become aware about the HIV/AID prevention issue and with the enhance informative approach the audience can take appropriate action in addressing the issue (Umeh 2004). Mexico is a diversified country comprising of people from different ethnic backgrounds, originality, demography and the various places of residence and they all exposed to the HIV/AIDS issues therefore it implies that they are all the target audience for the HIV/AID prevention message. With all these diversifications many target audiences can be identified these can be narrowed down into specific broad target audiences ensuring that all of the diversified groups are all taken care of. With all the diversifications the following target audiences can be identified to represent the various demographic populations of Mexico (Usunier 2009). The Rural Populations Mexican population comprises of a larger rural population making it a feasible target audience for the HIV/AIDS prevention messages. There is increase spread of the HIV/AIDS disease in the rural population therefore more efforts has to be put by the AIDS campaigns in this target audience. The alarming increase in the widespread of the HIV/AIDS disease in this demography target audience has been identified to be lack of the disease awareness, the larger part of the population have not been tested of the disease, those who are infected have been subjected to more stigma therefore they are not willing to come out and they continue to spread the disease secretly while others fear to be subjected to stigma and finally is that there is general lack of information about the HIV/AIDS disease among the populations hence there is little or no knowledge on the preventive measures that need to be adopted in order to reduce the rate of the disease infections (Singh 2006). Women comprising the larger rural population are the most infected in the Mexican rural societies compared to those women who reside in the urban areas comprising of towns and cities (Usunier 2009). The Aids campaign should put more efforts and emphasis on this target audience because there is an increased trend of rural urban migration therefore reducing the rate of the disease infection rural areas will ensure that there is less infections in towns. The above situation of the HIV/AIDS prevention has been greatly attributed by higher level of illiteracy among the rural population becoming a barrier in getting accessed to more advance information about the HIV/AIDS prevention and the deep rooted cultures in the rural populations which make it difficult for them to belief on the prevention measures of the disease (Waisbord 2012). Urban Population There is a significant percentage of the population in Mexico who are the residence of the urban areas comprising of major towns and cities. Reports indicate that there is a significant percentage of the urban population that is associated with the HIV/AIDS reported cases. Towns and cities have the highest level of interactions and many of the people. The urban populations is considered a suitable target audience because of its population being diversified comprising of different cultures and beliefs thus the AIDS campaign is able to reach out this broad audience in one specific place. The target audience is also suitable with the informative strategy of conveying HIV/AIDS prevention message because of the exchange of ideas and thoughts from the diversified nature of the urban population (Waisbord 2012). Migrants Mexico has the highest number of migrants who are mainly in transit from other neighboring countries mainly USA and also its citizens who are returning home from these countries. It is noted that there is a high rate of the HIV/AIDS disease among these migrants. The Mexico Aids campaign should also consider these migrants as the target audience in their campaigns, this will ensure that the spread of the disease attributed to the migrant population mostly laborers and workers returning from USA are reduced. Age Segments The Mexican Aids campaign should also consider exclusive campaigns on the various age segments to ensure successful campaign. More notable is the street children who in recent times have become vulnerable to social evil vices such as prostitution and pornography which have become major transmission mechanism. This target audience will comprise the larger young aged who is in danger of sexual exploitation in which most of them are intravenous drug abusers. This age segment is considered to have the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS spreading. Gender Segment The Aid campaign should be gender sensitive. Specific gender segments to pass the exclusive sensitive prevention messages. In Mexico women are the targeted audience which comprises of one-sixth of the Aids Cases. Among the indigenous peoples heterosexual transmissions rates has gone up which is an indication that Women are the most affected and major victims making them the key target audience of the campaign. Other gender segments shall also be targeted (Rogers 2003). Copy Strategy and Media Planning These are the guidelines that the Aids campaign team should follow prior to the campaign to ensure that whole campaign become successful. These strategies include. Setting of Campaign Objectives The Aids campaign team should set goal for the whole process before the conveyance of the prevention message. This involves identifying what to communicate, the format of the message and the desired outcome and the creation of a feasible schedule. The timetable should be scheduled around the public events such as the worlds Aids day and this will capture the attention of the journalist who will address such issues. Identification of the message For the Aids campaign message to be conveyed effectively. This involves research on the previous prevention messages to determine whether they were successful in conveying prevention message and the assessment of the target audience to determine the prevention efforts that is required. All the logistics are collected to ensure that the message is appropriate to the target audience (Rogers 2003).. Engagement with the Community The community and the target audience should be involved in the design and the conveyance of thee information and the messages. This ensures that the conveyed message is received and perceived well by the target audience by identifying the needs of the community which enhances the ownership of the messages and the whole Aids campaign process. Tailor the message to fit the audience Upon the identification of the target audience the message needs to be adapted to the audience being targeted. The message should be tailored such that the audience is familiar and that they can relate to and be able to fit it with their social and cultural contemporary reality (Bendle 2010). Partnerships The Aids campaign should partner with other like-minded partnership to facilitate networking and facilitate the message to reach a greater audience. The suitable partnership is with the local organizations to ensure that the local Mexicans do not resist the initiative campaign taking into consideration the culture and norms of the Mexican people. Presentation of concise and positive information Before the dissemination of the prevention message it is important to ensure that the presentation of the information is simple and easy to understand to ensure that the audience with different literacy levels is taken care of and the Aids campaign has influence in society. Real world examples can be used to facilitate more relation with the audience real world and to ensure that no negative attitudes presented in the campaigns. Selection of effective time and place The Aids campaigns should choose appropriate time and place to convey the message basing on the target audience to be able to reach the target audience. This can be complemented by an appropriate dissemination of message in conjunction with a suitable event such as conferences and the world Aids day (Rogers 2003). Evaluation of the campaign process After launching the Aids campaign there should be continuous evaluation and the conveyance of the prevention message. This ensures that if the message reached the target audience in an effective way. Keeping records on the problems and complications and challenges that are encountered in the process this will enhance the prevention efforts (Umeh 2004). Aids campaign Mexico should partner to enhance its networking to facilitate the conveyance of the prevention message. The partnership should not be in conflict with the Mexican culture as they value their domestic organizations. The suitable partnership for the Aids campaigns can be as follows (Umeh 2004). Mexican Film industry There is a well developed film industry in Mexico where most of the audience are fans therefore the campaign should be involve the themes on the various plays and the celebrities. The partnership celebrities in the Mexican film industry are very crucial in conveying the prevention messages as they have a greater influence with the larger viewers mostly being the viewers reaching a larger audience. Media Radio Station The AIDS advertising campaign has to partner with the local radio stations. This partnership with this radio stations will ensure that the prevention messages reaches the target audience effectively. The AIDS campaigns in Mexico through the Radio stations will ensure that the message reaches the indigenous people and those with language barriers (Rogers 2003). Family Health International The partnership with this international organization which mainly deal with the issues affecting women will ensure that the Aids campaign is more effective on reaching out the female gender in the Mexican society. This creates more awareness among the women in the society concerning the heath issues thus enhancing campaigns (Bendle 2010). Sponsorship The AIDS campaign in partnership with other organizations and associations can sponsor community development programs in the various target audiences. This can be achieved through sponsorship of the Mexican passions such as football and the various other passions targeting specific audience (Rogers 2003). Therefore the Campaign should integrate proper methods and tools and techniques and the promotional tools that will ensure that mass audience. Social media marketing is an important tool in this campaign because the target audience mostly the youth will be able to get accessed to this prevention information. Major promotional campaigns in collaboration with well renowned events with the target audience have to be established to reach out the broader audience of the Mexican society (Rogers 2003). Reference Edgar, T., Noar, S. M., & Freimuth, V. S. (2007). Communication Perspectives on HIV/AIDS for the 21st Century. New York: Taylor & Francis. Faulk, S., & Usunier, J.-C. (2009). AIDS and Business. London: Taylor & Francis. Food & Agriculture Org. (2007). Communication and Sustainable Development. Rome: World Health Organization. Kotler, P., Lee, N., Farris, P. W., & Neil T. Bendle. (2010). Marketing Strategy from the Masters. London: FT Press. Obregon, R., & Waisbord, S. (2012). The Handbook of Global Health Communication. New York: John Wiley & Sons. Sharma, M. (2006). Aids Awareness Through Community Participation. Vancouver: Gyan Publishing House. Singh, A. R. (2006). Mass Communication in Prevention and Control of Aids: Strategies for Adolescents. Delhi : Concept Publishing Company. Singhal, A., & Rogers, E. M. (2003). Combating AIDS: Communication Strategies in Action. Symphony: SAGE. Umeh, D. C. (2004). Confronting the AIDS Epidemic: Cross-cultural Perspectives on HIV/Aids Education. New York: Africa World Press. Read More