Free calling cards are bringing an important message.
The message has been in brochures, posters, advertisements, billboards and public announcements.
The message is AIDS is still killing people.
The Midwest AIDS Prevention Project is distributing 5,000 free 10-minute phone cards to gay and bisexual men throughout Michigan. Every time the card is used a message says, “AIDS is not over, keep playing safe and know your status.”
The message also provides information on HIV testing through a Web site.
“We bring (the phone cards) to bars, and this month we took them to gay pride events,” said Andrew Yee, program coordinator for MAPP.
The idea came from a project started in California. Health officials in that state distributed the cards in 1998 to counties and other health agencies.
“I knew that groups and corporations were using them for promotional reasons,” he said.
The cards, he said, have had a good response with the public.
“Some people are a little confused - whenever you give out something for free, people aren’t sure how to take it,” he said.
While the cards are being distributed to gay and bisexual men, there are plans to involve other groups.
“We are definitely going to do more phone cards targeting other groups,” Yee said. “The next cards we are going to do will be in Spanish, targeting Latinos, and we might do them targeting youth.”
The message is heard every time someone uses the card. Neal Schmitt, chairman of the Department of Psychology, said if the message is heard often, it may trigger some thought.
“We give warnings about other things like smoking, but ultimately these things do have an impact if they want them to,” he said.
Craig Covey, CEO of MAPP, said it is a unique way of reaching the target audience.
“In this day when advertising messages are permeating, it is not easy to get a message with posters and commercials,” he said.
Everyone makes long distance calls, Covey said, and everyone likes to save money. The card gives MAPP a chance to spread the word about HIV and AIDS.
Covey said at the cards’ introduction, MAPP distributed more than 600 cards and people loved them.
“They are getting something for free, a 10-minute phone call that would at least cost a couple of dollars or more,” he said.
