There is no denying that The Naked Truth campaign is provocative. The images are powerful, the stories compelling. This purpose of this aggressive campaign is to encourage different modes of thinking about a person’s HIV risk, and to start the conversations that will be the beginnings of behavior change. By offering up examples of real people with life experiences similar to our own, people who have had to make some tough choices, we believe we can inspire and encourage those who are faced with similar choices.

Research supports the effectiveness of this type of edgy social marketing campaign. A recent study in King County Seattle concluded that like most people, HIV+ gay men prefer edgy media to more educational fare. Looking closer to home, the report from the RARE Project, a federally funded community survey project conducted here in Tucson, recommends that prevention keep “the AIDS message fresh and relevant”. The report addresses the need for agencies to rethink their prevention messaging, citing examples from participants who believe that “even though the information is there, I don’t think it’s as visible and aggressive as it used to be.”