#HIVERSITY by ViiV Healthcare
“Social worker – Ju-Jutsu athlete – Gin fan – Plant whisperer” is written in turquoise letters on Denis’ face. Only very small on the chin we read: “HIV-positive since 2009”. Next to it is Sarah: “Mother – globetrotter – spiritual – scooter rider” and: “HIV-positive since 1994”.
The faces on the large-scale poster in Stuttgart’s Ludwigstrasse send the message: “Because we are more than just HIV-positive” – the motto of the #HIVersity campaign. The pharmaceutical company ViiV Healthcare, which focuses entirely on HIV medications, developed the campaign together with HIV-positive people. According to the latest figures from the RKI, there are 79,900 people living in Germany with a positive HIV diagnosis. 79,900 different faces, stories and interests – but which are far too often subordinated to the label “HIV-positive” and the tragic images of AIDS disease and death.
This is where the campaign comes in: Six people representing the diversity of the HIV community were photographed for the poster advertising. The motifs vividly show that nowadays, with treatment, it is possible to live a long, diverse and fulfilling life without cutting back on the virus. In this way, the campaign works against stigma and discrimination.
The topic of sexuality is not left out of the posters – this is also a component of diversity: for example, Christoph is not only an “educator” and “married”, but also “sex-positive”. Vadim presents himself as an “IT nerd” and “sweet tooth” with the profession “porn actor”. These motifs show The non-transmissibility of HIV under therapy today also makes it possible to live out one’s sexuality freely. Knowledge of the formula n=n (undetectable = non-transmissible) is also conveyed by the campaign, e.g. on the accompanying website livlife.com. The website sees itself as a platform for HIV-positive people with information and personal stories.
The campaign also takes place on social media: #HIVersity cooperated, for example, with the queer influencer Strify, who also wears descriptions in colourful paint on his face in a photo post on Instagram and created a video on the topic for World Aids Day.
There is even a specially created #HIVersity Instagram filter that also writes different characteristics in the style of the campaign on users’ faces and can be used as a show of solidarity: “Prince Charming” contestant Bastian Castillo – who came out as positive on the show – presented the filter in a video. On Facebook, the poster motifs were also played out as a promotional video and an advertising partnership was entered into with the blu media network, which shared #HIVersity content on its platforms.
The collaboration with the HIV community, authentic testimonials, combined distribution through large-scale billboard advertising and social media, and finally the visually appealing implementation of the important topics of diversity, HIV awareness and combating HIV stigma have persuaded us to choose #HIVersity as November’s Campaign of the Month.
Telekom also makes it into our list of best LGBTQ campaigns this month with its #DABEI campaign.
Telekom fights for a network without hate, where everyone treats each other with respect. Part of the campaign includes short videos shared on the landing page and through social media. They include Jay, who experienced bullying after coming out as transgender – in real life as well as online, where he has a public presence on YouTube and Instagram. About hate comments, he said:
“They have this protective wall internet now and if something like that is said to you personally, only one group gets it and not the whole world out there right away. You never know where a person’s line is, even if you’re just joking.”
An important statement that Telekom is spreading.
TELEKOM_Campaign
Telekom makes it into our list of best LGBTQ campaigns again this month with its #DABEI campaign.
Telekom fights for a network without hate, where everyone treats each other with respect. Part of the campaign includes short videos shared on the landing page and through social media. They include Jay, who experienced bullying after coming out as transgender – in real life as well as online, where he has a public presence on YouTube and Instagram. About hate comments, he said:
“They have this protective wall internet now and if something like that is said to you personally, only one group gets it and not the whole world out there right away. You never know where a person’s line is, even if you’re just joking.”
It’s an important statement that Telecom is spreading.
Jay, transgender and active on YouTube and Instagram (@jayravo), reports cyberbullying in the Telekom campaign.
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“Power Your Dreams” by XBOX DACH
Microsoft’s Xbox video game brand launches its new Xbox Series X console in November and launched the “Power Your Dreams” campaign in advance. It asked its community to share its biggest dreams as part of a competition. The campaign was supported by commercials on social media with testimonials dreaming of more diversity in the gaming scene. This is because the traditionally male-dominated gaming scene has long been criticized – for misogyny, racism and homophobia.
By selecting influencers, the campaign is therefore making a statement for more openness and acceptance in the gaming community.
Among them: Berlin drag queen Bambi Mercury, known from the Pro Seven show “Queen of Drags”. As a performer, Bambi bridges the gap between drag and cosplay, preferring to embody characters from the universes of her fandom as her very own queer creations – from Disney’s sea witch Ursula to Princess Leia from Star Wars. On social media, she presents herself as a proud “nerd” or “geek” with Yoda dolls and Disney accessories and is celebrated for it by her followers. Posts on mental health and body shaming show that cohesion in the LGBTQ community is important to Bambi. As an intersection between queerness and nerddom, Bambi is the perfect, authentic community ambassador for a more open gaming world. Fittingly, her slogan: “Gaming needs to become more colourful.”
As another queer testimonial, beauty influencer Marvin Magnificent (over 1 million YouTube followers) asks, “Beauty and gaming – why not?” and demands, “Dare to be yourself.” Gamer and cosplayer Juicy Gnu (726,000 subscribers on YouTube) brings the female perspective into play: “Let’s conquer the gaming scene.”
With these, for the gaming scene atypical, brand ambassadors* Xbox DACH does not simply take the path of least resistance but supports the dream of a gaming community with more diversity, openness and acceptance for female and LGBTQ gamers*.
www.themayor.eu
Place2be.Berlin
With the new campaign “Place2be.Berlin”, the Berlin Senate Department for Economy, Energy and Operations wants to attract LGBTQ tourists* to the city. The campaign was conceived and implemented by the queer city magazine “Siegessäule”. On a specially created website, we see singer Henri Jakobs as a testimonial to draw attention to Berlin’s free development opportunities and diverse offerings for the queer community. The musician will be followed by other personalities of the Berlin scene with video statements: Drag queens, DJs, artists*.
A highlight is the monthly curated culture and event calendar, which is aimed specifically at the queer target group. Here you can find, for example, theatre plays with LGBTQ performers or exhibitions that deal with the topics of the scene. A current example is an artist Mathias Vef. For his artwork, he uses the party drug GHB, which is widespread in the gay scene. He uses the corrosive chemical as a solvent to distort portrait photos.
Economics Senator Ramona Pop (Greens) on the launch of “Place2be.Berlin”: “Tourism is suffering from the Corona pandemic and especially the scene infrastructure away from the mainstream is heavily dependent on it. I am therefore particularly looking forward to many queer visitors in our cosmopolitan metropolis.” It is precisely this close involvement of the Corona-ridden scene in the promotion of tourism that has positively impressed us. At the same time, the campaign does not ignore the virus: The website emphasizes that vacationing in Berlin is possible – but with strict hygiene requirements.
Translated from German with AI (Artificial Intelligence) translator DeepL
Compiled with help from www.sisi-agentur.de
