Abstract

The medical sophistication of modern day has been rendered helpless in the face of HIV/AIDS. The incurable nature of the HIV/AIDS virus which changes its morphology is putting a huge strain on the various fronts of humanity. The economic and social devastation of the HIV/AIDS menace has meant that no progressive force on earth will not give this epidemic some attention. Zimbabwe is a developing country in Southern Africa which has been grappling with the menace whose spread has been largely due to ignorance and wanton denial of the devastating effects over the years. Multitudes of promotional programmes to change behaviour have met with mixed success. To this day 3 000 people die weekly with calamitous effects to the nation. There has been a reduction in the numbers affected and part of the argument is that promotions for preventive behaviour is bearing fruit. This study seeks to evaluate successes and failures of various programmes in the fight against HIV/AIDS with particular emphasis on whether marketing communications to promote good behaviour has had any significant impact. It can be argued that this process does not render itself to marketing communications. On the contrary it does. The experts in the area of marketing point out that goods, services ideas, places or persons can represent a product. In this regard the product is the idea of behavioural change. The direct benefit from the idea is to serve the human race from extinction. This paper will argue that it can be done, it can bear fruit, but it is a mammoth task and calls for collective and individual responsibility across the private, public, religious groupings, the donor community etc.  It is the contention of this paper that the idea of changing behaviour in the fight against HIV/AIDS has to be sold to society and this paper argues that marketing communications can make a huge difference in serving millions of human lives. Ultimately the perception  people have of  HIV/AIDS will determine how they position it it vis-à-vis life.

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