Audience Reception Analysis of the National Brothers for Life Mass Media Campaign

This 118-page report shares the findings of a qualitative audience reception analysis of the mass media component of the Brothers for Life campaign, which was launched in 2009 to promote the health and well-being of South African men, with a focus on HIV. Analysis found that the integrated, multi-faceted approach to communication used by Brothers for Life successfully engaged men around issues of HIV/AIDS, violence prevention, and promotion of positive gender norms.

Led by Johns Hopkins Health and Education in South Africa (JHHESA), Brothers for Life is a collaborative partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the US President's Agency for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the National Department of Health, Sonke Gender Justice (SGJ), the South African National AIDS Council (SANAC), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS), and over 100 partners. Based on 18 focus group discussions in all nine South African provinces during the period July to August 2011, the qualitative study was designed to analyse perspectives on the effectiveness of the campaign in delivering its main messages and to understand the types of issues that shaped its reception.

The report outlines the campaign's four components - mass media, social mobilisations, advocacy, and partnership and referrals. It also details the campaign approach, which included key themes such as positive male norms and values, HIV prevention, and discouraging gender-based violence, each with its own key messages. Campaign ambassadors used their own personal testimonies to draw attention to these issues and communicate the campaign messages in an emotive way designed to reach out to men. Research found that, "the campaign's strategy of inviting men to become Brothers for Life and in so doing, interrogating their own values and adopting attitudes and behaviours that will create 'new men' in South Africa, is a critical step in shifting male normative behaviour that so often underlies risky sexual behaviour, violence against women and children, and low health-seeking behaviour typical of South African men." As well, "the campaign's taglines of 'Yenza Kahle, do the right thing' and 'Be a brother for life' were conceived as a call to action among men, intended to have a mobilising outcome."

The report outlines the following key findings:

• Overall Reception: According to the report, overall the campaign was well received. Focus groups participants noted that messages around unity, taking responsibility, and personal change were well understood, and that the campaign gave men an opportunity to discuss issues and work together to fight HIV. Participants reported being reached by the campaign through various mediums, such as mass media, interpersonal communication, and the campaign posters and brochures. The television public service announcements (PSAs) seemed to have the widest reach, followed by print and out-of-home media, especially billboards. Very few remembered the radio PSAs or talk shows, which were not used widely in the campaign.
• Strengths and Weaknesses: The use of celebrities (especially sports figures), concepts of unity, and the use of personal testimonies were particularly appealing to men. Weaknesses are identified as limited reach in rural areas and too much use of English rather than African languages.
• Messaging: The main key message recalled by participants was related to gender-based violence, while positive male norms, partner reduction, and male involvement in prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and parenthood were also noted. Many participants "understood that one of the intentions of the campaign was to positively shift existing gender roles and to encourage men to help each other in being responsible partners and taking action to prevent HIV." In addition, the slogan "there is a new man in South Africa" was generally accepted and seen as "a way to encourage men to be more sensitive, responsive to the needs of those around them, supportive and responsible within their households and communities."
• Behaviour and attitude change: According to the report, "The Brothers for Life campaign has had a significant influence on behaviour, particularly with regard to gender-based violence, and to a lesser extent HIV testing, partner reduction, condom use, alcohol abuse and male involvement in PMTCT." At the time of the analysis, "Self-reported behaviour change was most often situated between conceptualised and actual forms." One of the key factors influencing behaviour change was the success of the campaign in prompting dialogue among peer groups, families, and couples.

The report concludes that, "[t]hough the campaign was successful in shifting social identities and encouraging men to adopt behaviours that are lower risk, health-seeking and non-violent, there was still scope for the development of more gender equitable attitudes, practices, and messages. Future campaigns could take this further by stimulating dialogue about value systems that perpetuate gender inequality and encourage viewers to engage with alternative identities of men as having equal relations to women and share socio-economic power."

Recommendations include continuing to use the strategy of authentic storytelling, as the emotiveness and credibility of this type of approach has greater resonance and message internalisation in comparison to the other kinds of television PSAs. In addition, as stated in the report, "[a]lthough the mass media materials have been shown to be a useful component of the campaign on their own, the interpersonal communication and social mobilisation activities led by partner organisations appear to extend its impact and investment in such activities should be sustained and additional partner organisations sought."