Pinocchio Has HIV? What’s up with his face? (NSFW)

A French HIV Awareness ad, and also released via youtube, features a grown-up Pinocchio (known as “Woody”) and features a one-night stand that ends with a bit of statistics.

[box style=”red, warning, shadow” ]WARNING: This has no nudity, but it might not be appropriate for work– thus the NSFW warning. [/box]

Watch it here:

Does this ad make sense?  Is it effective?  

The ad was created by agency TBWA (FRANCE) with Control Films.  (Full disclosure, my day job is that I work in the entertainment & advertising industry in Nashville.)

[box style=”gray, highlight, shadow” ]But, it did make me wonder if it makes you feel the same way– if you are living with HIV.[/box]

For me, personally– I’m kinda over these negative stereotypes of those living with HIV as: lethal, liars, sexual predators waiting for others to feel of venom or dirty old bananas.  Sure, the advertisement talks about those living with HIV that don’t know it– but can we get more advertisements out there (PSAs) that show HIV-positive folks being responsible?  I know we are out here!

So, here’s my open invitation– production companies, ad agencies or marketing folks of educational campaigns:  Please allow those living with HIV be be apart of your campaign creatives, or at the least–hire these folks as HIV Marketing Consultants, please. 🙂

 So how does it make you feel?  Am I wrong? (Tell me.)

Learn more about AIDES here:  http://www.facebook.com/aides