As a spokesperson for the campaign “Hombres de Verdad” (Men of Truth) the beauty queen visited Nicaragua and its capital Managua this week. The campaign is part of No todos los hombres son iguales by PASMO (Organización Panamericana de Mercadeo Social) a social marketing entity active in Central America.

On Wednesday she reminded the Central American men not to forget to use condoms because this might save their lifes and the ones of their partners. She added that, everyone could get HIV because AIDS hasn’t got a face (“cara”), color or any other form of looks.

As a matter of fact that is an important point many people seem to forget. Can you tell someone has AIDS or any other STDs? For everyone who’s unsure about the question raised, visit the link and let Posornot.com by MTV Networks give you the answers.

Dayana Mendoza is leaving Nicaragua today, however the rest of the world can hope to see her in her role as a spokesperson for this campaign. Venezuela, El Salvador, Europe and the USA are on her list next.

And because she’s so beautiful and sharing such an important message here are some pictures of the event in Managua, Nicaragua.

Dayana Mendoza for Pasmo

Pasmo is part of the organisation PSI, a nonprofit in the health area.

Dayana with the Red Ribbon

Dayana with Campaign Officials
On the left direcor of PASMO Nicaragua Dr. Moncada, right an official of the Department of Health.

Via HoyMujer/EFE. Sincere thanks and picture credits Jorge Mejía Peralta/Nicaragua.

Just like in the recent condom ringtone campaign it lets you download the jingle (see canción del spot) as mp3 to your mobile or PC. People can join their facebook group or watch the tv-spot (all Spanish).

And guess what, that’s exactly what we’re going to do now. Enjoy the Spanish-condom-hip-hop-mash.

She does look a bit like she was arguing, she’s not, she’s rhyming.

Via typicallyspanish

Levi’s was one of the first companies worldwide to engage in the fight against HIV/AIDS more than 25 years ago. For several weeks prior to and during the week of December 1, Levi’s stores around the world are featuring signage and information about HIV/AIDS, and offering commemorative items consumers can wear to show their support for global attention to the issue.

Of course we were interested in some of the results and what you will find in the Levi’s stores these days. Many countries will have some of their own local campaigns. This is what Brazil’s Levi’s stores will have in stock from the first of December.

Brazil Campaign 69 com camisinha

This year in Brazil Levi’s invited 5 people from different areas to do t-shirts: Sérgio Magalhães (advertiser), Adriane Galisteu (TV hostess), Cako Martin (artist), BLuxo (fashion designers) and Miro (photografer). As already mentioned the t-shirts campaigned 69 com camisinha will be made available on December 1st. The profits will go to an organization called “Sociedade Viva Cazuza”.

Levi’s 69 com camisinha t-shirts
The 5 different t-shirt designs.

Galisteu

B.luxo

Sergio Magalhaes
Look down, I’m using condoms.

Miro

Cako

So if you’re in Brazil at the time you might want to support Levi’s ongoing efforts in fighting HIV. Since 1982 they have contributed more than $38 million to HIV/AIDS service organizations in more than 40 countries. The Brazilian campaign is made by Centoeseis and Duo Press.

Sincere thanks to Milton

Because of the low awareness of the RAF Regiment they decided to a direct marketing campaign to 20’000 males between the ages of 18-24. They received condoms mounted on cards with the slogan: “Apply to weapon when on manoeuvers” as you can see on the picture below.

The tongue-in-cheek creative concept involves a condom as it’s part of every day life in the RAF Regiment. For example, Non-lubricated condoms make excellent water carriers and are very light and compact when not in use. In fact there are many, many military uses for a condom as the rest of their letter shows:

• Stop bleeding
• Prevent sand, dirt and water getting into wounds
• A condom placed over the barrel of a gun helps stop sand and dirt jamming the weapon
• Filled with water it’s an emergency water carrier
• Inflate them for good small arms targets
• Use in emergencies as surgical gloves to help prevent infection spreading
• Great storage covers for anything small that must be kept dry (flaes, matches, etc)

Emily White, Senior Direct and Relationship Marketing Manager at COI, said: “We felt the creative idea of using the condom would appeal to the target audience and hopefully encourage them to think about the RAF Regiment in a different way rather than just at face value. We’re confident the DM will help raise the profile of the RAF Regiment with the target audience as well as give people a clear understanding of its role.”

How can John McCain possibly oppose condom use?

Picture credits ajbeanster

Because every member matters, because every voice helps, because every click spreads awareness and helps to help Africa a bit. Condomunity.com and Troy Kennedy, a social enterpreneur and co-founder of thedebateclub, want to make helping as easy as joining this facebook group. And this is what your support will trigger:

44 million servings of Coca-Cola products are sold across Africa – a day. This equates to 16 billion bottles a year. SO how about distributing condoms on a massive scale in Africa by asking Coca-Cola to team up with the United Nations Population Fund and a condom company and ask them to supply a condom with each bottle?Pretty impressive hm? You’ve got to know that donor support for condoms in developing countries remain stagnant at this time and far below projected need. So every donor, every help, every awareness this problem gets is needed. Don’t think your vote doesn’t count, no the support of people like you made Troy’s campaign extremely popular on UK’s Channel 4 Battlefront website.

Africa’s HIV Situation

Due to the difficulty in treating HIV/AIDS, preventing infection is a key aim in controlling the epidemic, with health organizations promoting safe sex in attempts to slow the spread of the virus.

At the recent International AIDS Conference in Mexico City one thing was made clear: measures need to be taken with condoms playing a key role in comprehensive HIV prevention, but donor support for condoms in developing countries remain stagnant and far below projected need. In 2007 33.2 million people lived with the disease, it claimed 2.1 million lives in the same year. Over three-quarters of these deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The poorest African countries rely almost entirely on donations of condoms from outside agencies such as the United Nations Population Fund. The UNFPA estimates that in 2005 at least 13.1 billion condoms were needed to significantly reduce the spread of HIV and another 4.4 billion were required for family planning. The number of condoms donated in 2005 was 1.8 billion – representing just 10% of the need.

Coke Campaign Goals

We primarily aim to persuade the Coca-Cola Company to take a good look at the unique position they have and utilising their unique distribution network to deliver important medicines and protective equipment like condoms to the millions of people that desperately need them. But actually we would like to encourage everyone to help too. Do you know a company that would like to sponsor condoms or has got similar means to help out? Would you like to write a blog post about this? Have you got any other suggestions to take action? Be our guests, comment after the article, get in touch with us or do something yourself.

New Series on Condomunity

This is also the start of a new series on condomunity. Troy Kennedy will regularly post updates on how things evolve, how successful his campaigning is and what this means to him. All updates can be read on here or in a more convenient way in your feed reader of course.

Further Reading

If you want to inform yourself on the topic outside of our campaign we suggest give these organisations a visit: UNFPA, UNAIDS, Population Action International, BBC World Service Trust and PSI. You might also want to have a look at the press release concerning this article and an older post regarding the topic:

• Date: 9.9.2008 Two University Students to Take on HIV in Africa
• Date: 14.7.2008 Could Coke Fight HIV in Africa?

So, join the Coke and Condoms facebook group, vote for Troy’s Battlefront campaign if you want to see him on tv and do some good. Please feel free to contribute and comment below!