The selected campaigns are from many different countries and the striking thing about them is the endless creativity and various means to raise the awareness and educate people in a fun way. At the same time these are some interesting strategies to actually get more and more people to use condoms.

The bottom line is the same everywhere: Use condoms, protect yourself, AIDS is still deadly and a horrible burden for anyone affected.

Prejudice is one of the worst side-effects – Denmark
Denmark’s AIDS-Fondet organised a neat little AIDS awareness campaign during World AIDS Day last year to fight prejudice and stigmatisation. The person inside the balloon wore a t-shirt saying: Prejudice is one of the worst side-effects.

Catch the sperm – Switzerland
Stopaids.ch launched a small game in 2001 with the “catchy” title catch the sperm.  The game produced for raising AIDS awareness among young people was an enormous success. 2001 more than 18 millions players from 104 countries downloaded the viral game.

The concept is really simple. Get ready and cover all the bad boys with condoms. Just like in real life. Up to today there are six various themes available, for example Carnival and Winter (as you’d expect for a swiss game). Catch the sperm can still be played and downloaded here (and it’s still good for some serious old school fun).

Condom ringtone – India
The condom ringtone is an Indian condom campaign that was launched back in August (of 2008) and has already done a lot for awareness in India (and the whole world). The ringtone was downloaded by 660’000 people and counting. It’s a solid piece of work brought to the world by the BBC World Service Trust and Bill Gates (listen in right here).

Condom tree – Australia
In an effort to promote safe sex among the Aboriginal community NCHS placed condoms on river gum and eucalyptus trees and helped local communities in accessing much needed contraception (image credit).

The human hour glass – France
Every ten seconds someone dies from HIV. Time is precious. Great and visually appealing campaign by Sidaction.

Take out a condom – Brazil
Outdoor posters with the word AIDS written all over it poppped up on a past World Aids Day all over the city in Porto Alegre, Brazil. The word consists of 500 condoms which could be removed by passengers. More than 8000 pedestrians interacted with the poster on that day.

Where’s AIDS – Brazil
Many of you will remember the book Where’s Waldo (or Wally). A Brazilian community used that theme for their Carnival campaign. Just you don’t see AIDS.

What do you do to protect yourself – France
Cycling being a popular form of transportation for the younger crowd, Act Up Paris organised a guerilla campaign in the night before World Aids Day 2007. Thousands of bicycle saddles were covered with an important message. And you, what do you do to protect yourself?

GI Jonny – UK
Another great campaign done by the BBC. G.I. Jonny was a viral HIV information campaign for the UK. The campaign was running from 1st of October until World Aids Day 2007 backed by Durex and Terrence Higgins Trust who provided 150’000 free condoms.

AIDS is still around – Canada
This one speaks for itself. AIDS is still around.

La tete de mort – France
La tete de mort (skull) is a campaign dating back to 2003.

These were some of the most brilliant AIDS awareness campaigns. Do you remember any good HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns? Would you add any to this list of brilliant ones?

Picture credits: follow the links to the organisations (Ads of the world/Coloribus/Osocio).