How personal is your question on HIV?: SMS 'ASK' to 7827 and get your answer

[Guest guest]

How personal is your question on HIV?

SMS 'ASK' to 7827 and get your answer like thousands of people For

the first time in India, an initiative urges you to seek the most

specific information you would require on HIV/AIDS. Heroes Project,

the largest nongovernmental public service campaign in India, has

launched a one-of-a-kind initiative called Specific Query Response

(SQR). Marking the launch of the second Public service announcement

(PSA), the campaign already boasts of over 25,000 smses in the span

of one month.

This unique initiative encourages an individual to ask ANY question on

HIV/AIDS-it could be complicated, intimate, intense or personal - and send it as

an SMS to 7827. He/She would get a tailor-made answer

tohis/her specific query on his/her mobile phone within 24 hours from

a trained medical counselor. The campaign has received noteworthy

response as it provides the individual with an open avenue for

information on HIV/AIDS that is easily accessible within an arms

reach of his own mobile phone, at the same time ensurescomplete

privacy and confidentiality.

Heroes Project's partnership with STAR India which began in 2004, has

evolved from just airing of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) for

general awareness to engaging platforms with a distinct `Call–to-

action' message. For the SQR initiative, Star has set up the backend

and has provided an Internet link to all the queries on HIV/AIDS sent

to 7827 which are answered by a trained Medical Counselor from Heroes

Project. This initiative targeted at Urban and Semi Urban Youth will

be rolled out for a period of three months – i.e. till April 2007.

Speaking on the initiative, Kanika Singh, Executive Director, Heroes

Project says, `HIV/AIDS is a sensitive issue and people seeking

information may have their own specific question to ask, the answer

to which may not be clarified with general information. Keeping this

need in mind, to allow easy and accurate flow of information,

Specific Query Response has been designed and the remarkable initial

response speaks for itself. Also encouraging is the support we have

received from our partners especially Star India, all of whom are

working with us on a pro bono basis; reiterating our belief in the

initiative'

The campaign is being rolled out through a 360 degree approach. The

PSAs are being aired on the Star bouquet of channels, namely Star

Plus, Star One, Star World, Star Movies, Star Gold, Star Utsav, Star

Vijay and [v] India. Additional mediums have been employed through

the internet, emailers, posters, presence at events, voice

promotions, in store promotions, sms campaigns, etc. Leading

advertising and media portals viz. www.agencyfaqs.com,

www.indiantelevision.com, www.exchange4media.com, TAG Media Network

Inc - the country's first in-store television network, etc have

supported the initiative, thus enabling wider reach.

For further information, please contact:

Rimmi Harindran

Heroes Project

# 98193 11924/ 022 25194713/14

E-MAIL: rimmih@...