Two decades ago, the Australian Department of Public Health launched a disturbing, yet informative, ad campaign to help educate the gay community about HIV and AIDS. With the number of new infections still on the rise over the past few years, Sydney has launched a new viral video campaign which highlights the Glam Reaper and hopes to once again highlight HIV as a disease that effects everyone.
The original Grim Reaper campaign depicted images of death mowing down a range of victims in a bowling alley. Although the ad was widely criticized at the time, it did succeed in creating widespread discussion of the epidemic.
Twenty years later, the discussion is still in the forefront of the gay community, and the new campaign hopes to resend the message that there are still concerns and ways to prevent infection.
The Grim Reaper has been brought up to date and glamorized in order to send the same message. Played by Sydney drag queen
Mitzi Macintosh, and backed up by community archetypes, including Party Boy, Mr Leather, Asian Femme, DJ, Mz Butch, Miss Lippy, Mr Bear and Twinky, the campaign offers the simple message that other than abstinence, condoms are still the best way to prevent infection.
John Stanton, who has returned to lend his support to this important campaign, provided the original Grim Reaper voice over.
Filmed at the Imperial Hotel, the ad hopes to advocate safe sex in the gay community.
Campaign coordinator
Ben Tart told
SSONET.com, “We wanted to really take ownership of the Grim Reaper for our community and remind the community that HIV is still such a big issue for all of us. It is so important to protect ourselves, our partners and our community by continuing to use condoms.”
