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P/CLOUDY Temp: 77 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Thursday, October 2, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine Joy Magazine Tempo A & E RogueValleyAutoFinder RogueValleyHomeFinder Real Estate Showcase Wellness Connection Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Employment Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend September 15, 2003 European and local advocatesto unveil safe-sex ad campaign By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune Two years after viewing European television advertisements featuring flying cartoon condoms to inform teens about sex, local health officials plan to unveil their own more muted public service announcements Tuesday. An invited audience of about 100 clergy, media and social service workers will gather in Medford to review two proposed television ads aimed at promoting responsible behavior. "It’s about healthy sexuality choices," said Hank Collins, Jackson County Health and Human Services director. Collins would not be more specific about the content before Tuesday. Advertisement The two local 30-second spots will be shown during a luncheon focused on the effects of European media campaigns on improving risky teen sexual behavior. Presenters will include Wolfgang Mueller, manager of the national AIDS and STD Prevention Campaign in Cologne, Germany, and Anne Poutier, co-director of CyberCRIPS in Paris. Barbara Huberman, a nationally known sexuality educator for Advocates for Youth in Washington, D.C., also will speak. Co-sponsored by the local Planned Parenthood affiliate and the county health department, the event aims to explore ways to adapt European-style health messages to American sensibilities. "We are really trying to come up with something that works in our community," said Kellie Shoemaker, Planned Parenthood community outreach coordinator. At issue is the disparity between teen sexual health in the United States and France, Germany and the Netherlands. Conference organizers cite statistics that show U.S. teens have sex earlier than their European counterparts, leading to more births, more abortions and more AIDS than in any other developed nation. One reason for the difference is that European health officials and media leaders have partnered to create "thoughtful, well-researched and entertaining campaigns on sexual health issues," conference organizers said. Two years ago, a conference in Medford demonstrated examples of such campaigns. Commercials included flying cartoon condoms, banana demonstrations and frank discussion of sexual matters with young people. At the time, Collins and other local officials declined to co-sponsor the event because of concerns that the messages might be too graphic. This year, when Collins learned Planned Parenthood had invited the European experts, he decided to give their ideas a try. "In all honesty, we looked at the European stuff and tried to create something we thought would fly in Southern Oregon," Collins said. Collins spent $5,000 to create the spots, including $2,500 of state family planning funds and $2,500 from Planned Parenthood. No county dollars were used for the project, he said. The Maentz Agency of Medford created the proposed spots. Producer Bill Maentz said he had two goals in mind: to reach teens and their parents. "Our question was how to do something that was responsible to the family and attractive to the children on their own terms," he said. "I think we accomplished the goal." Members of the test audience will run the gamut of the Southern Oregon political spectrum, Shoemaker said. They’ll be asked to review the proposed ads and decide whether they’re appropriate for local airing. If so, frank ads about teen sexuality could show up soon on local television stations. Reach reporter JoNelAleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Rogue Valley Auto Finder Rogue Valley Job Finder --> Rogue Valley Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times