European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse One at Ota and in which new York City urges woman to iral St on us of condoms to prevent Naira and at aids. Latest condom ads focus on women by James Barron new York times of there s no Way of me knowing who you re seeing or what you re doing the Mother says looking Slraight into the camera. And i hate the idea of you doing things you re not ready she looks Down for a second then holds up a package marked condom and continues but listen if you re doing anything you use one of these. You understand cause my baby is not getting so goes one of three aids television commercials prepared Lor the new York City health department. Created by a Madison Avenue Agency. Saatchi i Saatchi complots the advertisements Are addressed to heterosexual women. As with birth control women Are being held responsible for the sexual health of themselves their partners and their children. The strategy has drawn mixed reactions. What do women think about this approach and How do homosexuals regard this focus on those who have nol been the primary victims of the disease my feminist political reaction is that i m troubled by the tact that birth control remains a woman s Burden and almost solely a woman s said Letty Cotton Pogrebin. An editor of is. Magazine. My pragmatic reaction is use condoms and argue As we go along because ibis is now a question of Barbara Seaman author of the 1972 Book free and female said women should take precautions because they May not realize As quickly As men that they have contracted a sexually transmitted disease " women have the More serious problems Seaman said then they need to Lake the most still some people have suggested that the advertisements give too much far aids prevention to women and Overlook the question of just what men s obligations should be. The Burden is somewhat on women said Charles Abrams a Saatchi & Saatchi Compton executive who oversaw the City s commercials but they re accustomed to taking charge of their acquired immune deficiency syndrome cripples the body s immune system. It is caused by a virus spread through sexual Intercourse with an infected person or trough the Exchange of blood As in intravenous drug saturday june 20, 1987 use. Aids is now the leading cause of death among new York cily women aged 25 to 29. According to the cily department of health. As the risks of contracting the disease have increased Madison Avenue has made women the targets of condom advertisements which Only a few years ago would have been directed at men condom manufacturers have even repackaged heir products to Appeal to women who by some estimates now buy As Many As 70 percent of Iho Hall million condoms sold in the United Stales each year As against 10 percen 10 years ago. Much of the increase can be attributed of women s protecting themselves against herpes and other sexually transmitted diseases which have risen to almost epidemic proper tons in the last decade or so. Between 1985 and 1986, however condom sales jumped 10 percent Wilh women accounting for most of those purchases business analysts say. Thai increase is lied primarily to Iho incidence of aids we Felt hat if women Are doing the purchasing the product should be oriented to said Al Mannino. A vice president of Iho Mentor corp of Minneapolis a manufacturer of health care products that began making condoms nine months ago. New York City health officials look the same approach but not without apprehension before even presenting the advertisement they predicted that they would face criticism from conservative politicians and religious leaders who object to materials thai do not emphasize sexual abstinence and traditional moral values. After the commercials were released in Licis came from other quarters As Well. Some homosexuals complained thai the advertisements never mentioned them although homosexuals currently account for the largest number of aids cases and face the highest risk of contracting the disease. City health of Licals say they Are preparing new advertisements thai will be directed Al homosexuals. Also in the works is a Campaign aimed at the second highest risk group intravenous drug users. Some health care experts worry Hal the new York cily advertisements will ii Highlen Public tear of aids rather than awareness of precautions to Lake against in. And Many television stations say the material is Loo explicit to handle Saatchi & Saatchi Compton said the advertisement featuring the Mother had been accepted by in by to and webs to for broadcast alter 11 pm. While wac to rejected it. Two noncommercial stations. Net to and nyc to have also agreed to show it although net to does not plan to broadcast in before 9pm., according to Saatchi & Saatchi Compton the two other advertisements were rejected by All commercial television stations. One 30-second spot has Only the James Taylor song Don i let me be lonely tonight on its soundtrack. The camera follows a woman As she puts on makeup and in a two second shot drops a condom in her purse it is the Only Lime a condom appears in the advertisement. Only the cily owned nyc to will Cairy this commercial the other commercial turned Down by All but nyc to and Wrolet to shows a couple kissing when the woman gives the Man a condom he says no in the background an announcer says and in he says no so can you cant live on Hope. Another at the ads in new York Campaign urging Ufa at condone directed at heterosexuals. The stars and stripes Page 17
