"Take Care With Sex" [pink and black], 1990s

The Take Care campaign began in 1989 in response to the high rate of HIV infection in Edinburgh and the Lothians, affecting mainly young heterosexual people. The campaign was intended to raise awareness of HIV and AIDS amongst all members of the community and involved advertising, events and education. Although the campaign recognised that there were particular ‘at risk groups’ vulnerable to HIV transmission, such as intravenous-drug users, it aimed to avoid stigmatising particular groups or behaviours, and instead emphasised that HIV was an issue for everyone. The campaign took a very direct, explicate and vibrant approach to get its message across. Straight-to-the-point promotion of safe sex was disseminated which stressed that everyone should ‘take care of themselves and encourage others to take care’. This ground-breaking, and at times controversial, awareness raising campaign was jointly launched by Lothian Health Board (LHB) and Lothian Regional Council (LRC).