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Mass Media Vasectomy Promotion Campaign

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This campaign, implemented between 1989 and 1990, consisted of a combination of prime-time television and radio spots, magazine ads, flyer distribution and an electronic billboard along with other public relations activities in three major Brazilian cities: São Paulo, Fortaleza, and Salvador.
Communication Strategies

The campaign was conducted in four distinct phases: pre-campaign PR, television spot broadcasting (May-June 1989), rebroadcast (Sept. 1989), and a follow-up mini-campaign (early 1990). The 30-second television spot (broadcast 2-5 times daily from 8pm to midnight) featured a pair of "dancing hearts”"and used the slogan, "Vasectomy is an act of love". This message was supported by a companion radio spot that used the same slogan and tag line, and all the pamphlets and magazine ads used the same image of two hearts. In addition, the campaign and the surrounding events generated approximately 70 news stories on television, radio, and daily newspapers. In the total 15-month campaign period, it is estimated that 4 million people were reached through the combined activities and press coverage.

Development Issues

Family Planning, Contraception, Health.

Key Points

A substantial increase in demand, and increased citation of television spots as the referral source does suggest that there is a link between the campaign and increased vasectomy demand. The longitudinal analysis of the PRO-PATER clinic revealed that all three media events had a significant impact on the number of procedures, even during periods of relative decline and in the face of rising procedure costs. This same long-term analysis does however suggest the need for some kind of ongoing promotion to maintain a given activity level. Without periodic reinforcement, they believe that clinic performance will eventually decline.

Partners

Population Communication Services, Center for Communication Programs, Johns Hopkins University, Promoção da Paternidade Responsável (PRO-PATER).

Sources

D. Lawrence Kincaid; Alice Payne Merritt; Liza Nickerson; Sandra de Castro Buffington; Marcos Paulo P. de Castro; Bernadete Martin de Castro, "Impact of a Mass media Vasectomy Promotion Campaign in Brazil," International Family Planning Perspectives, Vol. 22, No. 4. (Dec., 1996), pp. 169-175. Click here for access to this full article through the JSTOR archive. Access to this archive is available only through affiliation with a participating academic institution.