Shooting off fireworks: the successes and failures of an intensive, broad-based AIDS awareness campaign

Broad-based AIDS awareness campaigns often involve media advertisements, posters and/or pamphlets intended to address a specific concern related to HIV/AIDS. They focus on safer sex, prevention for young adults, women's issues in relation to HIV, etc. During the autumn of 1991 a group of Manitoba AIDS organizations came together to organize, promote and deliver an eight-week AIDS Awareness Campaign that would address a broad spectrum of HIV/AIDS-related issues. Instead of attempting to solidify one prevention message, this campaign attempted to satisfy a variety of organizational agendas. Although it achieved its goals and was a very visible, but short-lived exercise in AIDS awareness, this campaign proved to be taxing on local community-based resources.