In a bid to encourage people in India to indulge in safe sex and thereby protect themselves from Aids, the BBC World Service Trust has launched a ringtone campaign. In India, it is estimated that about 2.5 million people are suffering from the life-threatening HIV. The key message of the ‘condom condom’ campaign being promoted on TV, radio as well as the Internet is ‘smart men use condoms.’

The TV advertisement shows a mobile ringtone buzzing with a loud refrain ‘condom! condom!’ during a marriage function. Though the man possessing the cell phone gets red-faced, others around deem him to be smart and responsible. The theme of this campaign Jo Samjha Wohi Sikander (the one who understands is a winner) is coined in such a way that it underscores the message.

Explaining the message behind the campaign, Radharani Mitra, Creative Director of the BBC World Service Trust India, said, ’Ringtones have become such personal statements that a specially created condom ringtone seemed just the right way of combining a practical message with a fun approach. We have always had a strong interactive, response-led component in this ongoing campaign.’ The condom condom campaign is aimed to reach an over 100 million people in India.