HIV/AIDS Prevention

DKT strategically targets adolescents and young people, who often underestimate the risks of contracting HIV/AIDS, for our HIV prevention campaigns. However, our campaigns to promote condoms by making them seem appealing and sexy rather than by emphasizing the health risks of unsafe sex. Some of our ads may not mention HIV or AIDS even when HIV/AIDS prevention is one of the goals. DKT Indonesia, for example, promotes its Fiesta condoms with the slogan “Safety Can Be Fun,” and this TV spot that emphasizes that both safety and pleasure are attainable.

Virtually all DKT programs market male condoms (and sometimes lubricants and female condoms) in outlets frequented by at-risk populations like bars, nightclubs, brothels, and hotels that rent rooms by the hour.

Many DKT programs also have HIV prevention campaigns for specific at-risk populations such as sex workers in the Philippines, intravenous drug users in Indonesia, truck drivers in the Democratic Republic of Congo, soldiers in Ethiopia, and LGBTQ populations in Brazil.

A few examples of our campaigns directed to specific at-risk groups:

• DKT Vietnam markets a condom to commercial sex workers that is made of poly isoprene, which is softer than latex and less likely to cause irritation.
• DKT Ethiopia has programs targeting the military and even has a condom brand, Hiwot Trust Soldier, distributed exclusively to the Ethiopian National Defense Forces.
• DKT Philippines carries out street theater productions to promote condom use in brothels and hotels.
• DKT Ethiopia’s “Wise-Up campaign” promotes condom use among at-risk populations such as sex workers.
• Many DKT programs use social media to target youth with messages intended to help them avoid exposure HIV even if HIV is not explicitly mentioned, like this Facebook page for a youth program in the Democratic Republic of Congo.