Wrap it before you tap it. The Safe Sex Persuasive Campaign

OVERVIEW Topic: Safe sex and condom use Goals: Increase condom use within UW-Madison student population Audience: UW-Madison students Method: Website and App

Students at the University of Wisconsin-Madison   A National Sex Study reveals that over half of males and females between ages participate in sexual intercourse   College students have not yet established a standard way of living, so incorporating condom use while they are developing their life preferences can make them more likely to adopt and continue condom use as they age   As a fellow student of the university, I may have more success because I share similar characteristics to them. Similarity including similar age, same school, and similar lifestyle.

Similarity  More receptive of a message from somebody sharing similar traits and backgrounds  In association with the social identity theory, I can identify with the students because I am a fellow badger and I can be seen as a more reputable source  I could also employ a para-social relationship by trying to get a well-known UW-Madison athlete such as Melvin Gordon III or Frank Kaminsky to endorse condom use.

Framing  Implement gain framed messages by telling students what they have to gain by using condoms  Condoms can prevent the transmission of many harmful and painful sexually transmitted diseases that can stay with a person for all their life  Additionally, condoms are a crucial part to preventing unwanted pregnancy. Having an accidental child is life altering and condoms provide a prevention mechanism.  Gain framed messages are especially successful with health affirmation and prevention behaviors, which completely relate to the diseases and pregnancy related to condom use

Consistency  Having students electronically pledge condom use on my website will make them consistent to the idea of condom use  They should be more inclined to stay consistent a pro-condom use attitude after pledging to the site because they will not want to create attitudes inconsistent with their behaviors because that will result in dissonance  Desire for consistency is central motivator of our behavior, so by pledging early on it can dictate future behaviors

Association  I want students to associate sex with condoms whenever they plan on participating in sexual intercourse  Whenever a student thinks about sex they should have an easily accessible attitude that favors using condoms during sex  Condoms can also be associated with freedom because people are less resistant when they believe they are making the choice  Using condoms should be empowering not embarrassing the way many think about it now  By associating using condoms with various positive things then the accessibility of the attitude will increase

Website  The modern world is more interconnected than ever with the evolution of the internet  As college students at UW-Madison, students are expected to have their own personal computer.  A 2011 Technology & Internet survey reported that between percent of college undergraduates have home broadband connection. This doesn’t take into account the availability of computers to students by colleges and universities  Having a website is a very accessible and interactive tool for students to use  Website can provide specific information for the individual rather than general knowledge information distributed by health services  Link:

App  A recent study reports that 82 percent of new university and college students own a smartphone  An app is a very accessible item for students to have since a large majority of students have smartphones to access them  The app will feature places near them where they can access condoms.  Since most students actively use and carry their smartphones, the app will serve as a convenient and accessible option for students whenever the moment is “right”

Measuring Success  To see how productive the campaign is I can go to condom selling locations and find out how many they are selling  I can also go to UHS and Sex Out Loud to see how many they are giving out  Then once I implement the campaign, I can check in weekly and compare the condom distribution levels to the original control data