Impacts of Integrated Marketing Communications on Campaign against Hiv/Aids Pandemic in Enugu State

HIV/AIDS has remained the biggest global health concern for the past two decades. There has not been any known weapon considered potent that was spared in confronting this menace, yet successfully it resisted them all, wreaking havoc relentlessly against humanity. This study which focused on Evaluating the Effects of Marketing Communication Campaign Against HIV/AIDS in Enugu State, is designed to review the quality of the marketing communication tools/strategies adopted in the HIV/AIDS programmes in the state, identify areas of weaknesses, and offer appropriate recommendations that will not only increase people’s awareness of the disease, but will also avert the enormous human and maternal mortality claimed by the epidemic in the state on daily basis. Enugu State was chosen for this study because according to the sentinel survey of 2005, the state has the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence of 6.5% in the entire South East geopolitical zone. This study adopted the survey method of research deign, using the instruments of questionnaire and personal interviews as data generating tools. Data for the study which were tested and analysed, using correlation statistical tool, were collected by distributing questionnaire to three hundred and fifty four (354) respondents selected across the state. Four (4) hypotheses were formulated to test: (i) if there is any significant relationship between increased television messages and awareness creation campaign against HIV/AIDS in Enugu state. (ii) if there is any significant relationship between increased radio messages and awareness creation campaign against HIV/AIDS in the state, (iii) if there is any significant relationship between increased newspaper messages and awareness creation campaign against HIV/AIDS in the state, (iv) if there is any significant relationship between increased word-of-mouth and awareness creation campaign against HIV/AIDS in the state. The findings were that there are significant relationships between increased messages from each of these tools: television, radio, newspapers, the word-of-mouth, and awareness creation campaign against HIV/AIDS in the state. In view of the above findings, however, we recommended that the tools be properly and adequately exploited in creating the necessary awareness campaign against the scourge in the state. Also recommended is the full mobilization and involvement of the HIV/AIDS support groups, the musicians/film-makers, and the gate-keepers in the state in delivering these messages safely and conveniently to the different segments of the target audience whom they are meant for, especially those in the rural communities.