LOS ANGELES — The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has launched two national outdoor advertising campaigns aimed at reducing stigma around HIV and encouraging regular testing for sexually transmitted infections. The campaigns—“HIV Stigma Sucks” and “Testing is Caring”—will run in 34 U.S. cities and territories where AHF operates clinics and wellness centers.
The “HIV Stigma Sucks” campaign revives an earlier message with a new visual twist: the slogan is presented in the style of a vintage embroidered sampler, resembling something found in a traditional living room. The imagery is designed to juxtapose old-fashioned aesthetics with a direct, modern message about the harms of HIV-related stigma. The campaign directs viewers to HIVcare.org, where individuals can find information and make appointments with AHF specialists.
The second campaign, “Testing is Caring,” features photos of smiling same-sex male couples alongside the message that regular STD testing is a way to care for oneself and loved ones. These ads direct viewers to freeSTDcheck.org, AHF’s resource for locating free testing services. The campaign also includes Spanish-language versions under the slogan “la prueba es cariño”, which link to pruebasdeITSgratuitas.org.
Both campaigns are appearing on billboards, bus benches, posters, and transit shelters in major cities including Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Houston, and San Francisco, as well as in Puerto Rico and Washington, DC.
“With these campaigns, we want to challenge stigma and normalize conversations around testing and treatment,” said AHF officials. “Our goal is to create messaging that’s both disarming and effective, encouraging people to take proactive steps toward their sexual health.”
AHF is the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, currently serving more than 2.4 million people in 48 countries. The organization was recently awarded the Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice Award by The King Center for its global advocacy work.
