Report: RED RIBBON EXPRESS 2012 IN THE NEWS

MDACS had managed to mobilise a number of newspapers and online journalists to attend the press conference on March 13, 2012, just before the Red Ribbon Express arrived at CST.

This brought forth a number of articles in English, Hindi and Marathi newspapers and also on online magazines. There were stories published both before the event and covering the event.

Report: IMPACT - REACH FIGURES AT RED RIBBON EXPRESS 2012

Mobilisation before the arrival of RRE:

Mobilisation was conducted by various means to gather large crowds for the arrival of the Red Ribbon Express. There were street plays, NGO stalls and banners at railway stations, newspaper advertisements and a press conference resulting in newspaper articles to promote RRE.

During the RRE exhibition at CST on March 14 & 15, 2012:

There were a number of 10225 people who visited the Red Ribbon Express over two days. Out of these, the maximum number of people was in the age group of 15 and 49.

On March 14, 5,806 people (both men and women) between 15-49 years visited the Red Ribbon Express.

On March 15, 3,511 men and women in the age group of 15-49 visited the Red Ribbon Express.

Training conducted during RRE:

HIV/AIDS training was conducted in Coach No. 5 of the Red Ribbon Express. Three batches of 60 participants underwent interactive training sessions on both days (6 batches in all) informing them about HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention and services, particularly those available in their own vicinity. The participants included police, NCC cadets, nursing students, Anganwadi workers, truckers & ANM.

Training Sessions being conducted. 1. For Police; 2. Anganwadi workers; 3. Police women; 4. NCC Cadets

A sample of participants from each batch were administered a Pre & Post test questionnaire to assess the impact of the training sessions. The key indicators assessed during this evaluation included knowledge about HIV transmission, prevention and services.

6 sessions of training for 2 hours each

Counselling & Testing figures:

Counselling & Testing for HIV/AIDS was conducted at Coach No. 6 of the Red Ribbon Express as well as the Shakti Van parked at CST.

Shakti Clinic van at CST - for counselling & testing

Blood Donation figures during RRE:

Post RRE…  the outreach continues:

• The Red Ribbon Express is not only a symbol of hope for the eradication of HIV/AIDS through knowledge dissemination but it also seeks to inform people about the various HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care related services that are readily accessible in this country.

• MDACS continued its outreach activities even after the RRE left the city. It did so by promoting its newly launched ‘Shakti Clinic – HIV/AIDS Salah Kendra’.

• Shakti stands for empowerment. It is repositioned as a counseling center where users will be given correct information that will transform their fear of testing and the fear of HIV into a positive feeling of empowerment. With this counseling and the option of available testing and treatment services, the user is assured that life is not over for him.

Even after the Red Ribbon Express leaves the city on March 15, outreach activities to promote prevention and service access - Shakti Clinic will continue.

Key forms of media to be used are:

• Newspaper Advertisements and features
• Radio Promotions
• Street Plays
• Transportation - Shakti stickers on auto rickshaws and taxis, Shakti posters at Railway stations
• Shakti Clinic boards on residential society gates
• Shakti stickers in public toilets

Report: SHAKTI LAUNCH AT RRE

Actress Renuka Sahane cuts the
ribbon at Shakti Clinic (coach no. 6) in
Actor Jackie Shroff's presence

BACKGROUND

Following an extensive research and communication strategy development, Mumbai Districts AIDS Control Society launched ‘Shakti Clinic - HIV/AIDS Salah Kendra.’ All the 100 ICTCs in the city were renamed ‘Shakti Clinic’.

This service now has a new name and is repositioned as a counseling center where correct information empowers the user thus converting his fear of testing into a positive after effect.

THE LAUNCH OF BRAND AND BOOK

Marathi Film Actress Renuka Shahane; Ms. Smriti Acharya, Project Director, Avert Society and Mr. Mohnish Kumar, CEO, Red Ribbon Express launched Brand Shakti Clinic and a book tracing the journey of the planning and implementation of brand Shakti. The book is called SHAKTI CLINIC - HIV/AIDS Salah Kendra: Brand Creation of a Health Service - A Guide.

Book Launch

Actress Renuka Shahane formally launched Shakti Clinic by cutting the ribbon in the presence of Actor Jackie Shroff.

THE SHAKTI EXPERIENCE

A special coach no. 6 was dedicated to Shakti Clinic. The public were given an experience similar to the real Shakti Clinic experience.

1. There was a Gate Signage at the entrance to Platform no. 13 at CST, where the Red Ribbon Express was stationed.
2. There were Directional Signages leading people to the Shakti Clinic Coach. This was made easy so that there was no need for one to ask the people around but to just follow the signages.

3. Then there was the façade signage outside the coach, making it clear to the public that they had reached their destination.

Shakti Clinic bus at CST

4. A decorative arch was created at the entrance to the coach with the name of Shakti Clinic mentioned prominently along with the brand colours on display.


This was created exactly in the lines of the actual Shakti Clinic Experience one might get at the 100 hospitals where the brand has been set up.

Marathi stars Madhura Velankar and Umesh Gupta were present at this venue to encourage the crowd to participate in the Shakti Experience.

There was a Shakti Counselling Centre also set up right outside coach no. 6 to benefit the excess crowd as they overflowed the limits of the Shakti Clinic within.

Shakti Clinic - HIV counselling & testing at Coach No. 6, Red Ribbon Express

PEOPLE VISITING COACH NO. 6

Visitors at Shakti Clinic Coach No. 6

Shakti Clinic, the HIV counseling and testing centre implemented by MDACS, was set up in coach no.6 and got a tremendous response. As soon as visitors stepped out of the exhibition coach, they were greeted by ICTC counselors who spoke to them about the benefits of testing and the readily available free and confidential counseling and testing service in the next coach. This approach worked well and the Shakti Clinic got a continuous flow of users who wanted to get tested.

Testing at Shakti Clinic (Coach No. 6)

In the table below the counseling and testing figures for both the days of the RRE have been documented, with a total of 511 persons getting counselled out of which 501 got tested and 2 were found to be HIV positive.


The Shakti counselling and testing services continued even after the RRE left the city, through a mobile van set up outside the CST station.

Report: SNAPSHOTS FROM RRE EVENT

The crowd at the inauguration of RRE on March 14, 2012

A total of 10,225 people visited the Red Ribbon Express on March 14 & 15, 2012 between 9 am and 6 pm. That was a phenomenal number for an exhibition happening during the week.

MAIN FEATURES OF RED RIBBON EXPRESS

1 & 3. Bollywood Actor Jackie Shroff at RRE & addressing the crowd
2 & 4. Marathi film & TV Actor Sameer Dharmadhikari at RRE

1. The video box constantly playing clips on HIV and the phone booth enlisting the symptoms of HIV and STI were most popular and saw many visitors stop by these counters and gain information about HIV/AIDS. Even with the presence of large crowds thronging the train, visitors got a chance to stop by counters and watch/listen at ease.

1. Students - Scouts & Guides; 2. NCC Youth; 3. College & Nursing Students; 4. Police Officials

2. The latest feature of the RRE was the training coach no. 5, where 3 batches of 60 participants underwent interactive training sessions informing them about HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention and services particularly those available in their own vicinity. A sample of participants from each batch were administered a Pre &Post test questionnaire to assess the impact of the training sessions. The key indicators assessed during this evaluation included knowledge about HIV transmission, prevention and services.

Scenes from the exhibition inside Red Ribbon Express

3. 10 stalls were set up in a line on the platform. Volunteers interacted with visitors, distributing IEC materials and even conducting games with an HIV/AIDS related information quotient.

Dr. (Mrs) Shubha Raul, Former Mayor of Mumbai at RRE

4. Visitors read exhibition boards on the platform; some took notes as they read. The platform exhibition also allowed for visitors to write messages.

Marathi actors Madhura Velankar & Umesh Gupta at RRE

5. 18 street plays were performed near the RRE. Spots like nearby bus stops, hospitals, parking areas and local platforms were chosen as onlookers could easily walk up to the RRE platform since it was in the vicinity. Through these 18 plays, 7 troupes reached out to a total audience of 4801 in the course of 2 days. Through livewire performance, the troupes not only spoke about HIV/AIDS but also urged people to go and visit the RRE that was parked at a short distance from the performance area.

1. Street Play at CST to mobilise crowds; 2. A volunteer ties a red ribbon to a visitor;
3. Actor Sameer Dharmadhikari at a NGO stall; 4. A visitor writes on the graffiti wall

6. Apart from street plays, MDACS also used other means of informing masses about the RRE and encouraging them to visit. Some of these mediums were:

       • Announcements on railway platforms through central railway system.
       • RRE van stationed outside CST announcing about the RRE
       • Celebrity bytes on Radio (FEVER-104 FM) narrating RRE experiences to listeners and urging them to visit the Red Ribbon Express

1. At the video box playing clips; 2. A volunteer explains the model to a Police Official; 3. Visitors read the
information on display; 4. A volunteer explains the testing procedure to a visitor

Report: LAUNCH OF THE RED RIBBON EXPRESS 2012

Bollywood Actor Jackie Shroff is felicitated by Dr. Harish Pathak

Dignitaries at the inaugural dais of Red Ribbon Express

Inaugurating the Red Ribbon Express:

The Red Ribbon Express arrived in the city of Mumbai on the March 14, 2012 to a much anticipated crowd especially youth from schools and colleges, women and government employees including police staff, ANMs and Anganwadi workers.

Mr. Ramesh Devkar lights the lamp

HIGHLIGHTS

1. Guests present at the Inaugural ceremony: Dr. Harish Pathak, Addl. Project Director, MDACS; Mr. Ramesh Devkar, Project Director, MSACS; Mr. Shama Prasad, Joint Director, IEC-NACO; Mr. Bhushan Gagrani, IAS, Maharashtra State Health Secretary; Ms. Smriti Acharya, Project Director, AVERT Society; Mr. Mohnish Kumar, CEO, Red Ribbon Express and Ms. Vinitha Venkatraman, Joint Director, IEC-MDACS.

Mr. Shama Prasad addresses the audience

2. The inaugural ceremony saw a packed platform and an enthralled audience.

3. Mr. Ramesh Devkar lighted the inaugural lamp to launch the Red Ribbon Express.

4. The lighting of the lamp was followed by a key note speech by Mr. Shama Prasad.

5. Shakti Clinic was inaugurated with the coming of the RRE and a book tracing the journey of planning and implementing Brand Shakti was launched.

Actress Renuka Sahane cuts the ribbon to inaugurate the Red Ribbon Express

6. Renuka Shahane cut the ribbon and inaugurated the Red Ribbon Express in Mumbai; throwing it open to the thousands of visitors waiting to see the exhibition.

7. Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff graced the event on March 14, 2012 and spoke to the audience, much to their excitement.

8. Marathi actors Madhura Velankar & Umesh Gupta attended the event and lent their support to MDACS.

9. Madhura Velankar gave celebrity bytes on Fever 104 FM, inviting the listeners to go see the Red Ribbon Express.

10. Umesh Gupta, along with Madhura Velankar, visited not just the exhibition, but also the Shakti Clinic at Coach No. 6.

An enthusiastic audience at the inauguration with the Red Ribbon Express in the background

The whole area of Platform no. 13 at CST was teeming with an excited crowd including Student scouts & guides; Police Officials; College youth & Nursing students; NCC students and the regular public. The air was festive and colourful as people visited the many coaches with many kinds of display. There were volunteers to answer all kinds of questions and also to impart the correct information on HIV/AIDS – testing and treatment.

Report: MEDIA CAMPAIGN FOR RED RIBBON EXPRESS (RRE)

Newspaper Advertisement on March 14, 2012

GENERAL FEEL & FLAVOUR OF THE MEDIA CAMPAIGN:

The entire campaign needed to have a feel of being a ‘fun way of learning about health’. The tagline of the Red Ribbon Express is ‘Zindagi Zindabad’, to give a positive vibe to the public about the message brought to them by the event. MDACS made sure that this positive vibe was reflected in their media campaign that ran across newspaper advertisements, hoardings, radio promotion and press conference.


What was taken into account throughout the campaign was that we needed to drive the maximum footfall during the event. Also, we needed to have a youth oriented flavor throughout. This was consistently maintained.

I HOARDINGS 

172 RRE hoardings were prominently displayed at railway stations on the central and harbour routes all leading to CST. The colourful hoardings were on display for over a week before the actual event to make sure that they were not missed by the commuters.

Hoardings at Railway Stations

II NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS


There were three types of advertisements that were given in newspapers – 3 Marathi dailies; 3 Hindi dailies & 2 English dailies.

Hindi
Nav Bharat times
Navbharat
Hamara Mahanagar

Marathi
Loksatta
Maharastra Times
Lokmat

English
Mid-Day
Mumbai Mirror

Newspaper advts. in English, Hindi & Marathi

The first advertisement was placed in the papers on the Sunday prior to the actual event. This was March 11, 2012. The advertisement brought to the attention of the readers that the Red Ribbon Express was to arrive at CST on March 14 and will remain stationed there till March 15. It also mentioned the timings and what the attractions were.

The second advertisement was placed in the newspapers on March 14, on the day of the inauguration of the event.

The third one appeared in the dailies on March 15, the last day of the event.

III RADIO PROMOTION

Fever 104 FM was the Radio partner that tied up with MDACS for promoting the Red Ribbon Express event.

The key elements of the radio promotions for RRE were:

Celebrity bytes: Popular Celebrities who visited the RRE gave interviews and their experience of the express urging listeners to come and visit this train.

FEVER 104 FM Radio Jockey covered the actual event on March 14 & 15; interviewing many groups of visitors especially the youth and showcasing it live to the listeners. One such group that was interviewed live was that of young scouts and guides from a school. The students narrated their experience of visiting the exhibition and learning about HIV/AIDS.

Red Ribbon Express was publicised on a radio show called, ‘Zara Si Life’ on FEVER 104 FM. This show talks about dealing with change and difficult issues and events in life, most importantly encouraging positive thinking. The radio jockey of this show, Karan Singh Rathore, spoke widely about the Red Ribbon Express and explained about the features of the express and the services available. He highlighted this train as a vehicle of change and support for the cause of HIV/AIDS.

IV PRESS CONFERENCE

A press conference was held on March 13 at the Press Club of India. The key objective of this PR exercise was to reach and inform as many people in the city through the medium of the press and invite them to visit the RRE on March 14 & 15, 2012. The press conference saw a powerful turnout of 37 media representatives from newspaper publications and news channels, some of the names mentioned in the table below:

IMPACT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE

Newspaper articles based on the press conference

• 11 newspapers carried articles about the arrival of the Red Ribbon Express at CST on March 14, 2012.
• On March 15, 2012, 12 newspapers covered the RRE event and reported the highlights of the day including the counseling and testing figures.
• Nine online news portals carried articles on the Red Ribbon Express and covered the event on both March 14 & 15.

Report: ON GROUND MOBILISATION FOR RED RIBBON EXPRESS 2012

Street Play

OBJECTIVE

MDACS took a four-pronged approach to mobilize the crowds to visit the Red Ribbon Express that was stationed in Mumbai on March 14 & 15, 2012. These activities were planned well in advance and set off about a week before the train arrived at CST.



I RED RIBBON CLUBS 

Meetings were conducted with the Red Ribbon Club members were they were instructed on the ways to mobilize the public to come and view the Red Ribbon Express. MDACS had created special banners for the event and these were distributed to the RRCs. They, in turn, had the banners displayed at strategic points within the colleges, where students tend to gather the most. Volunteers also went from class to class to inform the students about the arrival of the Red Ribbon Express at CST, thus managing mobilize maximum footfalls at the event.

MDACS has 150 Red Ribbon Clubs functional in the city. Each of these RRCs organized mobilization meets and spread the word about the RRE in their respective colleges. The total number of students touched through this activity was 25,700 students.

NGO Stall

II NGO STALLS

Six NGOs tied up with MDACS. After clever planning, they set up stalls at local railway stations all around Mumbai for about a week before the event started. The stalls caught the eye of the commuters, ensuring that they got to know about the arrival of the Red Ribbon Express at CST on March 14 & 15, 2012.

Considering that a huge percentage of Mumbai’s population travel by the local train, this was a perfect strategy as it brought information to that many number of Mumbaikars before the event. The NGOs also distributed RRE related IEC materials to the commuters.

III HUMAN TRAIN

Six Partner NGOs conducted flash mobs and formed human trains at key railway stations across the city spreading the news about the arrival of the Red Ribbon Express at CST on March 14 & 15, 2012.

Human Train - Volunteers, Public & School Children. Note them holding the RRE Banner

Six groups of 50 volunteers each would assemble suddenly on a railway platform, form a human train and move around the platform for a brief time, with the front runners holding the Red Ribbon Express banner, announcing the arrival of the train and then disperse.

The best part of the show was that half the volunteers were in RRE t-shirt while the other half wore civil clothes. This gave the impression that the general public was also part of the human train. This increased the comfort level of the commuters to take part in the build up to the main event.

IV STREET PLAYS

Street Play is a very impressive medium when it comes to mobilizing crowds. Street plays were performed across the many local railway stations over a week prior to the main event at CST. This was to ensure that the maximum number of people got to know about the arrival of the Red Ribbon Express at CST on March 14 & 15, 2012.

A volunteer giving a RRE pamphlet to a rickshaw driver

A total of 146 street plays were conducted across 35 railway stations in the city covering all three railway routes, i.e. Western, Central and Harbour lines. Apart from disseminating basic information about HIV/AIDS transmission, prevention and services, troupes announced the arrival of the Red Ribbon Express and the features of the coaches especially counselling and testing services provided on the coach. The total number of audience reached through the street plays was 11,170.

Every performance had troupe members holding up a RRE Banner that had all the information about the forthcoming event. Troupe members also distributed IEC materials about the arrival of the RRE.

Colourful costumes along with loud music managed to attract the attention of the rushing commuters. Most of them stopped to check out the scene and got to know about the upcoming event. This was a surefire successful way to catch eyeballs.

These cards with information on the arrival of RRE and the train timings at CST were
distributed to commuters prior to the event

IMPACT

All the planning and hard work paid off when the Red Ribbon Express actually arrived at CST. There were long queues of people from different strata of society who were keen to see what the train had to offer. The flow of crowd was steady throughout the two days of the event and there were 10,225 people in all who visited the engine in just two days.