Indiantelevision.com Team

(23 March 2007 8:00 pm)

MUMBAI: The non-governmental public service campaign that spreads awareness of HIV/Aids - Heroes Project, for which Star India is a partner, has launched it's second public service announcement (PSA) campaign called Specific Query Response (SQR).

For the 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 till April.

The campaign is being rolled out through a 360 degree approach using 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 and sms campaigns.

Advertising and media portals including indiantelevision.com, Tag Media Network Inc - in-store television network have supported the initiative, thus enabling wider reach.

This 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 to his/her specific query on his/her mobile phone within 24 hours from a trained medical counselor.

The campaign already boasts of receiving over 25,000 SMS in the span of one month of the campaign, 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 ensures complete privacy and confidentiality, informs an official release.

Speaking on the initiative, Heroes Project executive director Kanika Singh 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.'

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.