Speak Out: A State/Nonprofit Partnership to Enhance and Sustain HIV Prevention Messaging for Gay/Bisexual Men in Texas

Unpredictable funding is a common challenge for health department social marketing efforts. Collaborating with an appropriate nonprofit entity can mitigate funding instability through cost-sharing, resource extension and enhanced capacity for community engagement. In 2009, the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) launched “Greater Than AIDS,” a national campaign to increase knowledge, reduce stigma, and promote action to prevent HIV among at-risk populations. Later that year, the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) began partnering with KFF to extend the campaign’s reach in Texas. KFF-negotiated partnerships with media companies resulted in pro bono and reduced-cost placements of billboards and radio spots co-branded with local health departments. In order to promote local campaign ownership and build stakeholder linkages, KFF and DSHS co-hosted community forums around the state. Responding to increased HIV rates among younger gay/bisexual men, KFF and DSHS launched “Speak Out Texas” in 2014. This cross-platform campaign of “Greater Than AIDS” assembled a diverse group of men from Dallas to speak frankly about HIV stigma within the gay community in a series of online videos. Sharing costs for creative development, promotional materials, media placements, and evaluation has maximized DSHS’s campaign investment, offering the scale and sustainability of a national campaign while allowing for the incorporation of locally driven HIV prevention strategies. As a result, “Greater Than AIDS” has become a trusted brand among priority audiences, including those in Texas, who report taking an action – such as talking about HIV, seeking information and getting tested – in direct response to the campaign.