Not a 'death sentence': Shaping perceptions and destigmatising diseasesNot a 'death sentence': Shaping perceptions and destigmatising diseases

HIV/AIDS was once seen as a death sentence. The diagnosis that was whispered in fear and despair has undergone a transformative journey of its own in the past three decades. Much of this shift in perception can be attributed to the power of health marketing and the personal experiences of individuals who refused to let the stigma surrounding the disease define their lives.

Dr. Jens Van Roey’s life took an unexpected turn on a crisp autumn morning in 1988 when he received a phone call that delivered sombre news; he was now HIV-positive. The former Director of Global Clinical Development and Global Public Health at Johnson & Johnson saw his diagnosis as a harbinger of a life filled with health challenges. Still, it also marked the beginning of his journey as an advocate, committed to dispelling the stigma surrounding the disease, pioneering innovative methods to prevent its transmission, and championing equitable treatment for all — starting with himself.
To Van Roey, being HIV-positive was “not a death sentence, but a call to live fully,” says Alvaro Bermejo, former Executive Director of the International HIV/AIDS Alliance (now Frontline AIDS). Remembering his legacy, Bermejo, whom Van Roey mentored, highlighted how he forged the path as an activist researcher and a person living with HIV. “Jens dedicated his life to breaking the silence, informing communities, and researching (treatments).”

After 35 years of working tirelessly to address systemic discrimination and lack of institutional support facing people with HIV/AIDS, Van Roey passed away in September 2023. His last project was working on the dapivirine ring, a silicone vaginal ring to protect women from HIV infection.

In the battle against stigmatised diseases, the human experience is a powerful catalyst for change. Health marketing is the how.

The evolution of health marketing

In the past, health marketing primarily revolved around promoting pharmaceuticals and medical products. Today, health marketing has transitioned from being product-centric to patient-centric, placing a strong emphasis on patient empowerment, education, and engagement.

Data-driven insights have become central to health marketing strategies. Advanced analytics and data-driven approaches enable health marketers to target specific populations effectively and deliver personalised health messages. Additionally, health marketing promotes regular check-ups and screenings, reinforcing the importance of preventative medicine. A notable example is the "Know Your Numbers" campaign in the UK, which offers free testing and uses data analytics to encourage people to monitor their blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Hypertension is the main factor causing heart attacks and strokes. Over one-third of adults in England have high blood pressure, but three in 10 of those don’t know they have it. "We believe every adult in the UK should know their blood pressure numbers in the same way they know their height and weight,” says Hemini Bharadia, Marketing Manager for Blood Pressure UK. “Home blood pressure monitoring is an effective and inexpensive way to manage your blood pressure and the evidence behind it continues to get stronger. It takes the pressure off the NHS at the same time, and it really can save lives.”

Since its launch, 1.5 million people across the country have had a free blood pressure check through this campaign, and the data is then shared with GPs to flag high-risk patients. Blood Pressure UK also partners with private insurance providers to circulate business toolkits to normalise health-related conversations at the workplace.

From TV to TikTok: destigmatising mental health issues

Health marketing has also played a significant role in bringing mental health issues into the mainstream. Amid South Korea's alarming youth mental health crisis, characterised by academic stress, bullying, and a staggering suicide rate, researchers from Yonsei University explored the role of TV public service announcements (PSAs) in reshaping perceptions.

They analysed a 16-day PSA campaign aimed at suicide prevention and its impact on calls to a crisis hotline. The study found that during the campaign, hotline calls increased by 1.6 times, demonstrating its potential. However, they identified challenges in sustaining momentum post-campaign. "The results of our study point to a need to run longer TV PSA campaigns on a larger budget,” Dr. In Han Song, Chair of the Department of Social Welfare, Director of the Center for Social Responsibility at Yonsei University said in a press release.
More recently, TikTok has joined forces with the non-profit organisation Mental Health Korea and the National Center for Mental Health to champion the mental health of the country's youth. Their collaboration is geared towards promoting correct mental health information dissemination, creating a stigma-free online environment, and amplifying awareness of mental health resources. The platform is also actively working on a feature to limit daily screen time to 60 minutes for users under 18.

Hashtag activism and preventative medicine

Health marketing has worked toward normalising preventative medicine. In a striking example of social media's power in health marketing, the World Health Organization (WHO) harnessed the global appeal of K-pop sensation BTS to promote mask-wearing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's tweet thanking BTS for their support in mask-wearing, as part of their single "Dynamite," became the most-shared tweet of its kind. A new Dartmouth-led study analysed this phenomenon and revealed that these K-pop-infused tweets with hashtags including #BTS and #BlackPink were over 100 times more viral than their non-K-pop counterparts.

Notably, the impact was most significant in regions underserved by Western organisations, emphasising the potential for pop culture and social media collaboration to reshape global health narratives and behaviours. “With the COVID-19 pandemic, government health agencies often became targets of partisan politics that challenged public health messages,” says Ho-Chun Herbert Chang, an assistant professor of quantitative social science at Dartmouth. “If government officials and opinion leaders can leverage entertainers who are perceived as neutral third parties, this creates a powerful driving force for getting a public message out.”

Having evolved into a potent tool for reshaping societal perceptions of diseases and promoting preventative medicine, health marketing is increasingly encouraging individuals to take charge of their health and well-being — with and without celebrity endorsements.