About Our Ads

In 2004, Seattle HIV Vaccine Trials Unit (HVTU) formed a partnership with a local advertising agency, Foote Cone & Belding, to create two social media campaigns for HIV & AIDS awareness and the promotion of HIV vaccine research.

Advertisements of an inaugural campaign "Help Fight HIV" were developed as an individual’s response to HIV by depicting diverse community members fighting HIV.  Action-oriented images convey the power of a singular force against HIV which parallels that of volunteers in HIV vaccine clinical trials.

The second campaign was launched in 2007 which consisted of groups of people coming together to fight HIV.  The images of a boot, a hammer, and a spray can were composed of community supporters, staff members and actual volunteers in HIV vaccine clinical trials. These individuals represented the collective force that power research and science.  The photo shoot was televised as a feature story on a local news station. Read about us on KOMO TV's website

By 2009, Seattle HVTU’s extraordinary outreach team had strengthened their relationships with local community partners who support HIV vaccine research, which allowed the outreach team to have a supportive presence at many community events & local businesses.  Eventually, the team was associated with its free give-aways that promoted our site --- particularly, our rubber ducks, which inspired the campaign, “Give A Duck & Take Action Now,” designed by a local designer, Wilmer Galindo.  This colorful campaign illustrates the playful energy of members of our outreach team that inspire hope for community members to take action.

Diverse communities in Seattle have been a tremendous support of HIV Vaccine research with over 16,000 volunteers in HIV clinical trials since 1987.  Seattle’s call to action could not happen without community leaders & activists who have publicly supported this important endeavor. 

In 2012, Seattle HVTU launches a new campaign, “Seattle, Show Your Love,” which will honor local participants, community leaders & AIDS activists.  Photographs by Nate Gowdy and Carlos Pardinha captured candid moments of real community members who truly believe in the importance of an HIV vaccine. 

Will you join us as we move one step closer to ending this epidemic once and for all?