AIDS Promotion within the Black Church: Social Marketing in Action

This study examines how a community-based organization, the Balm in Gilead, has created social marketing campaigns targeted at the Black Church to promote AIDS awareness and education. This research examines how these social marketing campaigns were carefully framed within a religious and moral narrative so that it resonated with the values of the Black Church. Data consist of participant observation, in-depth interviews, and content analysis. Findings reveal that the Balm in Gilead marketed AIDS awareness to the Black Church\u27s Christian obligation and duty to care for the sick and suffering. The Balm in Gilead created social marketing campaigns targeted at four key themes found within the tenets of the Black Church: responsibility to care for others, love, acceptance, and forgiveness. Discussions on possible policy implications along with the limitations of this study are also provided