The campaign, a project realised by Good Business and Saatchi & Saatchi South Africa, with the support of a grant to Good Business from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is educating South Africans about the prevention of airborne TB germ transmissions by using their elbows when they cough. It launches with a catchy song (free to download) and a music video featuring South Africa’s Gogos from Ugu.
TB remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is second only to HIV/AIDS as the greatest killer with South Africa reporting one of the highest infection rates in the world. It is spread by breathing in air-borne bacteria from people with active infectious TB disease and is preventable.
“We needed to find a way to engage the public in a fun and light-hearted way in order to encourage them to call out others when they see someone coughing to use their elbow rather than their hands,” says Michael Joubert, chairman of South African Family Health Association, one of the largest health NGOs in South Africa.
“TB is preventable and by getting people to change their behavior with a simple action such as using their elbow, as opposed to their hand, will assist in curbing the spread of this deadly disease and ultimately empower the public to speak out.
“TB germs can survive for up to 24-hours on hard surfaces and are spread through the air when someone who is sick with TB coughs or sneezes. With South Africans commuting in confined spaces and living in cramped housing facilities, the disease is rife and a change in behavior through education and empowerment is essential in breaking the cycle.
“The campaign is lead by traditional ‘Gogos’ who are well respected matriarchal figures and these mamas are hoping to spread the gospel wherever they go. The Gogos have developed a catchy song and music video and, with other collateral such as posters, flyers and activations in various areas, we have already seen how engaging this mechanic can be.
“We are already seeing positive results and we look forward to continue building the campaign and growing the footprint of access to the information in the future,” he concludes.
Listen and download the song free at https://soundcloud.com/user-351154851/haibo-wena-mix-listen-ver-4-02 and watch the music video on www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-nL9kD6aR4&feature=youtu.be.
