Los Angeles County Launches Its Most Comprehensive Campaign Ever to Encourage H...( LOS ANGELES July 23...),Health

LOS ANGELES, July 23 /PRNewswire/ -- This week the Los Angeles County, Department of Public Health's Office of AIDS Programs and Policy is launching its most comprehensive community outreach campaign ever to encourage HIV testing. In Los Angeles County, one in four of those who have HIV does not know it.

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Titled "Virus," the multi-faceted campaign is designed to raise doubt and make Angelenos ask the question: "Could I have HIV?" Throughout the execution of the campaign a striking green image of the actual HIV virus appears with the headlines: "Is it in you?" and "Get Tested. The virus could be in you." (find artwork of the campaign attached.)

The campaign's call-to-action to "Erase Doubt" and get tested for HIV is captured in a unifying symbol or logo that will consistently appear throughout future executions of the campaign. The campaign cleverly twists the familiar red AIDS ribbon into a question mark with an arrow pointing to a dedicated URL www.EraseDoubt.org. The combination of the AIDS ribbon and the question mark imply doubt about one's HIV status while the arrow directs one to erase any doubt by going to the campaign's Web site to locate a testing site and get more information about HIV/AIDS.

"We developed a campaign around the idea that people go through several stages when considering HIV and how the disease affects them," said Mario J. Perez, Director, Office of AIDS Programs and Policy. "Our goal is to move people from assessing their risk, to questioning whether or not they have HIV and finally getting tested and, if necessary, seeking treatment. We hope this campaign will educate residents about their risk and make sure
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