Page 130 - Social Marketing for Public Health Global Trends and Success Stories

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Summary 103

S UMM A RY

What is the measure of success for a social marketing initiative? If demonstrated
behavioral change by the downstream audiences and policy changes and approba-
tion by upstream decision makers are valid indicators, Programs H and M are ex-
tremely successful.
For the young men and women targeted by the interventions, the conclusion is
that addressing unequal gender norms, especially machismo attitudes, is a vital part
of HIV-prevention strategies. These changes can conceivably extend into future
generations, leading to a culture with stronger, healthier personal relationships.
“Young men don’t learn behaviors in isolation,” said Dr. Gary Barker, former
executive director of Promundo and one of Program H’s creators. The kind of in-
dividual reflection Program H and M generates is a first step in changing what is
expected behavior for men and women (Hutchinson et al., 2004, p.7).
Program H’s results are receiving international notice. In their 2006 annual re-
ports, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Bank lauded Program H
as a promising intervention leading to gender equity. More recently, the
International Center for Research on Women presented its 2008 Innovation Award
to Salud y Género for its “cutting edge work with men and boys to challenge as-
sumptions about proper masculine roles, reduce violence against women and im-
prove men’s support of women’s reproductive health (ICRW awards, 2008). (See
Figure 4-9.)
If imitation is the greatest flattery of all, Program H adaptations in 15 coun-
tries so far surely denotes global success. “Program H was conceived since the be-
ginning with the idea that its methodology
could be fit to scale and reproduced in any
place, any group or number of people, and in
different languages,” explained Gary Barker
(quoted in de Botton, 2007).
Inspired by Programs H and M’s materials
and experiences, Instituto Promundo launched
a multimedia campaign known as JPEG (the
acronym in Portuguese for Youth for Gender
Equity). According to Christine Ricardo, co-
director of Promundo, JPEG’s centerpiece is a
radio-based soap opera, “Between Us,” about a FIGURE 4-9 Gerardo Ayala of Salud y
young couple. JPEG also uses the peer-educator Género accepts the 2008 Innovation
format that proved so successful in Programs H Award in Washington, D.C., on the eve
and M. The next step, Ricardo said, is a large, of International Women’s Day.
sustained collaboration to “scale up the use of Courtesy of ICRW/photo by K. Sardari