India's condom ring tone a huge global hit
Mon, Sep 8 03:45 PM
New
Delhi, Sep 8 (IANS) Guess which Indian ring tone is being downloaded
the most all over the world? No, it is not the latest Bollywood
chartbuster, but a public health message that goes 'condom, condom'.Its
makers are amazed by the popularity of the ring tone that was launched
last month and aims to promote safe sex, the use of condom and to thus
tackle the growing HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country where about 2.5
million people are estimated to be living with it.'It is a hit
internationally. Nowhere in the world are we aware of a ring tone for a
product,' said Yvonne MacPherson, country director of the BBC World
Service Trust, the international charity of the BBC.'The 'condom
a cappella' ringtone is really innovative. What is amazing is that
India has started the trend of a ring tone which carries a social
health message. People are excited about this ring tone internationally
and are looking to India for this,' MacPherson told IANS.What has perhaps
caught the imagination of the people is the fresh voice, sound and music, which
are totally Indian.'I think the ring tone has international appeal. It has
quirky music and sound,' said MacPherson.In
the three weeks since its launch, the makers have already received
257,744 SMS requests for download and over two million hits on the
website.The ring tone can be downloaded by SMSing 'CONDOM' to
56887 (download charges apply) or free from anywhere worldwide on the
website www.condomcondom.org. The ring tone has been composed by Rupert
Fernandes and sung by Vijay Prakash, who is a professional singer, and
has chanted the word condom more than 50 times.'As it became
international news, there has been demand for it from all corners of
the globe,' said an excited MacPherson, who got calls from radio
stations from across the US and Britain.The ring tone marks the
latest phase in the three-year intense mass media campaign to make
condom use more socially acceptable. It was partially launched in Aug 8
but was nationally seen on television, cinema, radio and in print in
Aug 22.The campaign uses a multitude of youth friendly platforms
such as website downloads, online games, mobile advertising and
downloads, along with the TV and radio advertisements, MacPherson said,
adding that the campaign is funded by a grant from the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation.The National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) is also using
the ad to support its condom promotion efforts.The objective is to connect with
all age groups and across the socio-economic strata, MacPherson added.In
the advertisement, a wedding is shown where a mobile rings with the
sound of 'condom, condom'. An embarrassed man holds the phone and looks
for others' reactions. Then he finds the reactions smart and
responsible. The tagline is 'jo samjha wohi sikander' ('the one who
understands is a winner').MacPherson said the ring tone has also scored big
time as many have sent messages to them.One
of the messages they have received on their website is from Denmark and
it reads: 'I have just read an article about this latest ring tone from
you, i have heard it and i love IT!! you are tearing down the walls
around this taboo.'Another one from the US said: 'I found this
and my sons overwhelmed and they love it. ...opened up a new dialogue
regarding sexual health. Thank you for such a fun way to open up with
my kids about HIV and AIDS.'It is getting accolades from Indians
too. 'Awesome, from today onwards this will be my mobile ring tone,
it's a good effort to spread awareness...' a message from a man in
Karnataka said.MacPherson said: 'The objective was to make
condom socially acceptable and to remove the taboo around it. Condoms
are a health product and a life saving device to protect a person from
HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.'People feel
embarrassed when it comes to protection so we have to first take care
of this. This is how we would be able to check the epidemic nature of
the disease. The shock value coupled with bringing the subject out in
the open will also help in dispelling the myths,' MacPherson added.According
to Radharani Mitra, the creative director of the trust which is
producing the advertisements, 'ring tones have become such personal
statements that a specially created condom ring tone seemed just the
right way of combining a health message in a fun way'.(Kavita Bajeli-Datt can
be contacted at [EMAIL PROTECTED])
