Launch of Australia's first youth and Koori friendly condom brand


Australia's first not-for-profit youth and Koori friendly socially marketed
condom brand will be launched on 28 March 2004 - during National Youth Week.
A free concert featuring major performances by some of Australia's most
sensational artists including Shakaya and Mercury 4 will form the
centerpiece of the launch of SNAKE CONDOMS.  The event will be hosted by
Water Rats star Aaron Pederson and Marie Stopes International Australia's
(MSIA) National Marketing and Program Manager Rachel Molloy.




The project, a collaboration between sexual and reproductive health agency
MSIA, the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation
(VACCHO), the Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health
(OATSIH) and the Mildura Aboriginal Health Service (MAHS) will be piloted in
Mildura, Wentworth, Dareton, Coomealla, Buronga, Red Cliffs, Irymple and
Merbein for three months. Should this pilot prove successful, MSIA will seek
additional funding in order to expand the project to a statewide and
nationwide campaign.



SNAKE CONDOMS are part of a new condom social marketing campaign that aims
to improve the sexual and reproductive health of young people, in particular
Indigenous youth, in the Loddon Mallee area. By using innovative marketing
approaches that educate, change attitudes and positively affect social
behaviour in terms of safer sexual practices, MSIA aims to help reduce the
spread and incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI), HIV/AIDS and
unplanned teenage pregnancies.



The launch of the new SNAKE CONDOMS brand will be celebrated at SNAKEFEST  -
a drug and alcohol free concert event.  SNAKEFEST will be held at the
Ornamental Lakes, Corner Sturt Highway and Seventh Street Mildura on Sunday
28 March 2004 from 2.00pm - 4.30pm, with media and photo opportunities
following. SNAKEFEST will feature the dynamic combination of chart toppers
Shakaya, pop sensation Mercury 4, as well as hip hopper Brothablack,
talented rap artist Little G and dance and R&B artist Dalys.



"SNAKE CONDOMS were initially designed for young Indigenous people aged
16-30, and the local youth were closely involved in the development of the
brand. Currently there is no condom brand in the market that is appealing to
this group, so to address this problem we've created one with their help,"
said Rachel Molloy.  "In terms of targeting specifically an Indigenous
audience, while the research indicated that the clear preference was for a
brand that spoke directly to Indigenous youth, most felt this would appeal
to a wider non-Indigenous youth audience also. The young Indigenous people
also had a strong desire to produce a brand that would appeal to all young
people - as they viewed STIs, HIV/AIDS and unplanned teenage pregnancy as an
issue impacting the broader community, regardless of skin color or cultural
background. With that in mind, we hope this new innovative brand will be
highly appealing to all youth", added Ms Molloy.



SNAKE CONDOMS come in the three colours of the Aboriginal flag and are
flavoured - red for strawberry, yellow for vanilla and black for chocolate.




"Most young people that took part in the research viewed condoms as being
too expensive, so we needed to ensure that the new brand was affordable and
available at a subsidised price," said Ms Molloy. So SNAKE CONDOMS will be
sold in packs of three at a RRP of $2, which is affordable to even the most
vulnerable groups.  All proceeds from the condom sales will go toward
helping keep the project sustainable, so the initiative is less reliant on
donor funding.



In addition to traditional retail outlets, SNAKE CONDOMS will also be
available via a peer sellers network. For the first time in Australia, young
people have been trained as peer sellers and will distribute the new condom
brand at parties and other places where young people gather - as this is
where many key decisions regarding sexual behaviour are being made.



MSIA see this initiative as a much needed development in helping address the
important issue of adolescent and reproductive health, in a sustainable and
youth friendly way. Rachel Molloy and MSIA's honorary patron Dr Feelgood (Dr
Sally Cockburn MBBS) will be available for interview prior to 28 March 2004.
Contact: Rachel Molloy, Marie Stopes International Australia. Ph: (03) 9593
9651 or 0409 518 474

To unsubscribe send one line: unsubscribe click4hp to: [log in to unmask] . To view archives or modify subscription see: http://listserv.yorku.ca/archives/click4hp.html