You Can't See AIDS. Use Condoms (1987)

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, MARCH 31, 1987 -- "The bus poster slogan, 'You Can't See AIDS. Use Condoms' was designed to inspire sexually active people to practice AIDS prevention through the use of condoms," explained Dr. Nancy Shaw of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation Education Department. Dr. Shaw was describing the development of the Foundation's educational bus posters targeted to the sexually active heterosexual population in San Francisco. The posters will appear on MUNI buses beginning March 31 and will run for two months.

"We hope these posters will emphasize the need for awareness about the sexual transmission of the AIDS virus in the heterosexual population," stated Shaw. The Foundation produced five different posters in all. Three of the posters feature different male and female couples (a black couple, a white couple, and a Latino couple) with the slogan "You Can't See AIDS. Use Condoms."

The Foundation will also run two high ride bus posters on the back of MUNI buses with only the words "Use Condoms" and the Foundation's AIDS hotline number prominently displayed. Both Spanish and English versions of the posters will run.

"AIDS prevention is the key to controlling the spread of this deadly virus," explained Dr. Tim Wolfred, Executive Director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. "The number of heterosexuals infected with the virus in San Francisco is still relatively low and we are working very hard to keep it that way.

"Hopefully, this simple, straightforward message to 'Use Condoms' will help create an environment which encourages further discussion about condom use and promotes behavior change in the sexually active heterosexual population at risk for AIDS."

To evaluate the campaign, the number and type of calls to the AIDS hot line will be closely monitored. The Foundation anticipates that the number of hotline calls will increase as a result of the bus posters. In the month of February, the hot line answered over 8000 calls. Nearly 70% of those calls involved heterosexual risk reduction information.

Nancy Shaw, Ph.D. was responsible for the development of this project for the Foundation. To create the posters, numerous agencies provided their expertise to the Foundation including: poster design -- Tomlinson/Associates; photography -- Nowinski/Hearne Photo; stylist -- Lauren Carter; models -- Avalon Agency; heterosexual/multi-ethnic focus group research -- Research & Decisions Corporation.