15 February 2010

The work of one of Australia’s most celebrated erotic photographers features in a new health promotion campaign for this year's Mardi Gras season.

Called BEFOREPLAY, the campaign has been produced by ACON – Australia’s largest community-based gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender health and HIV organisation – and developed by Frost*Design and features real community members captured in various erotic poses by renowned Sydney-based photographer Paul Freeman (Bondi, Outback)

Launching this week, the four-week campaign is aimed at helping gay men and lesbians reduce their chances of picking up and passing on HIV and other sexually transmissible infections (STIs) by thinking ahead and being prepared before sex, setting boundaries around drug use, and engaging in effective communication with sexual partners.

The campaign will be strategically promoted in the GLBT and mainstream media via advertising and editorial, on posters in pubs and clubs, on the ACON website and on a range of merchandise that will be given away at parties and events throughout the Mardi Gras season including Fair Day, Carnival and the Mardi Gras Party. ACON sports pros at each of these events will be getting party goers ready to play with massages, fans, water sprays, sweat bands and games.

ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill says the campaign’s erotic imagery aims to engage community members with important health promotion messages.

“Mardi Gras is all about being playful and seeking out pleasurable experiences,” Mr Parkhill says. “The aim of this campaign is to help people understand that what you do before you play is a really important part of sex because it helps you look after the health and wellbeing of yourself and others.

“We’ve used some very striking images as part of the campaign to grab people’s attention but also to reinforce the idea that being safe makes sex much more enjoyable.

“For instance, 55% of gay men who recently contracted HIV reported being familiar with the person they believed to have passed on HIV. So the campaign encourages gay men to talk about their HIV status and negotiate safe sexual activity. Also, same-sex attracted young women are almost five times more likely to get an STI than heterosexual woman. So the campaign encourages women to negotiate safe sex and get tested regularly.

“By combining these messages with Paul Freeman’s photography, we’re hoping the BEFOREPLAY campaign will inspire locals and visitors to play safe during this Mardi Gras season.”

Paul Freeman says the BEFOREPLAY campaign presented a great opportunity to incorporate a high-end aesthetic with important health promotion messages.

“It was an interesting experience capturing community members and the realty of experiences engaged in by our community,” Mr Freeman says. “I hope the community not only enjoy the campaign but take away important messages so that they can enjoy themselves this Mardi Gras whilst looking after theirs and the communities wellbeing.”

To get an overview of the entire campaign, visit www.acon.org.au/beforeplay