Tatiana & Johnny - Mexico

This campaign consisted of:

• 2 popular songs
• 2 music videos
• 2 television spots
• 2 radio spots
• 1 45 RPM record with a fold-out poster jacket
• 1 press kit

The two songs were chosen through a contest among professional songwriters - "Cuando estemos juntos" ('When we're together') and "Detente" ('Wait'). Two popular young performers, Tatiana Palacios, a Mexican singer, and Johnny Lozada Correa, of the Puerto Rican band Menudo, were chosen to record the songs; these singers were chosen because of their commercial potential, their availability and willingness to participate in the project, and their image as positive role models. The records and videos were sent to radio and television stations throughout the region and heavily promoted. "Cuando estemos juntos" debuted on Siempre en Domingo, a popular television variety show that reached over 150 million people. "Detente" was released a few months later.

The songs were available for free to radio and stations television stations that would mention the address and telephone number of one of the affiliated youth centers or family planning clinics whenever the songs were broadcast.

When the songs were released in 1986, they met with a degree of commercial success that was unprecedented for this type of entertainment-education project. "Cuando estemos juntos" reached the top of the Mexican music charts and stayed there for three months; it also was a number-one hit in Peru. "Detente" was a top-ten hit in Mexico. Both songs made the top-twenty in all the countries in which they were released.

At the peak of its popularity, "Cuando estemos juntos" was played over 20 times per day on various Mexican radio and television stations. The performers appeared on television talk shows, and the news media gave the project extensive coverage. All this attention amounted to free publicity for the family planning message. Together, the songs, videos, television spots, and related publicity received over one million hours of free airtime. Tatiana's record album, which included the two songs, sold over half a million copies - a best seller by Mexican standards. (Album royalties were donated to the project).

Family Planning, Reproductive Health.