Breaking "Many Shades of Gay" Cross-Media Campaign from ATTIK and San Francisco AIDS Foundation Encourages Gay Men to Test Every Six Months

SAN FRANCISCO, June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Working in close collaboration with San Francisco AIDS Foundation and many other prominent health organizations, the principals of global creative agency ATTIK are very proud to unveil a new cross-media marketing campaign.  Entitled "Many Shades of Gay," the campaign's mobile- and tablet-optimized HTML5 website – now live at www.manyshadesofgay.org – is being heavily promoted with ATTIK's online banners, print and out-of-home ads, as well as colorful drink coasters now in wide use within scores of local bars.

"We set out to do something incredibly ambitious – to change behaviors among gay and bi-sexual men in San Francisco and make frequent HIV testing the social norm," explained James Loduca, who is the vice president of public affairs for the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.  "From our first meetings with ATTIK last year, it was clear that they felt very strongly about giving back to our community.  While they took on our project on a pro-bono basis, their creativity, expertise and professionalism have been limitless and absolutely extraordinary."

ATTIK's project team involved creatives, designers, strategic planners, account service and production professionals.  Leveraging the resources of the foundation and many leading community-based health organizations and health experts, the agency's contributions to this highly collaborative effort began with the application of its patent research methodologies.  "The San Francisco AIDS Foundation's research and guidance told us that HIV testing every six months is good for the community, so together, we set out to promote the diversity of this community while encouraging them to get tested regularly," said ATTIK creative director Ron Lim.  "Our website is the cornerstone of the campaign, and it's intended to be both engaging and informative.  Visitors can create and share their own unique avatar to show off their individuality, and they can also learn about HIV testing, find testing centers, and set reminders to be tested again every six months."

For ATTIK, other key contributors include interactive creative director Jacob Ford, senior account manager Amanda D'Aloise, planning director Tonia Lowe, senior copywriter Andy Sciamanna, senior art director Mike Cornell, designers Gabe Nguyen and Natalie Kuo, interactive art director Jeff Fang, senior interactive producer Craig Heesemann and design technologist Andy McCoy.

Among the agency's most daunting challenges was creating the avatar-generator on the website, which like all other campaign materials was designed and produced entirely in-house.  The result is the world's most robust avatar generator, offering nonillions of unique configurations ... even before accounting for the various color options for clothing.

Added Ford, "It's exciting to craft such a robust site in HTML5, considering that in the past, it would have been built in Flash.  We're really digging into some great experiences that work seamlessly across the broader range of tablets, desktops and even mobile devices."

"This campaign really drew out the best from everyone involved," said ATTIK CEO Ric Peralta.  "Knowing that we would have the opportunity to build anticipation for San Francisco Pride on June 23 and 24, and encourage what will hopefully be the greatest turnout in history for National HIV Testing Day on June 27, we wanted to do something unique that would reflect and inspire people, and encourage them to get behind the ideas and take more control over HIV."

For more information on this campaign, please visit www.manyshadesofgay.org  and www.sfaf.org.   

About San Francisco AIDS Foundation
No city experienced epidemic levels of HIV faster than San Francisco. At San Francisco AIDS Foundation, we work to end the epidemic where it first took hold, and eventually everywhere. Established in 1982, our mission is the radical reduction of new infections in San Francisco. Through education, advocacy, and direct services for prevention and care, we are confronting HIV in communities most vulnerable to the disease. We refuse to accept that HIV transmission is inevitable.

About ATTIK
ATTIK (www.attik.com) is a global creative agency focused on developing integrated advertising, digital and branded experiences.  Specifically, the agency's expertise in strategic planning, design, advertising, production, client service and research has driven extraordinary success across most consumer product and service categories.  Articulating corporate brand strategy and designing creative solutions for advertising, below-the-line and online media, ATTIK ensures target audiences are vitally connected to client brands.  For inquiries, please call Ric Peralta ([email protected]) at 1-415-284-2600.

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SOURCE ATTIK; San Francisco AIDS Foundation