Ansell launches #UniteToFightHIV campaign to raise awareness for World AIDS Day

Ansell, a global leader in protection solutions and the makers of LifeStyles Condoms, one of the nation's leading condom brands, today announced the launch of the #UniteToFightHIV, a social media campaign in partnership with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to raise awareness for World AIDS Day on December 1, 2014.

The #UniteToFightHIV campaign implores sexually active individuals to get tested, know their status, and get treated while encouraging their social circles to do the same via social media. Through midnight on December 1, #UniteToFightHIV will ask the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and LifeStylesUSA's nearly 800,000 collective social media fans and followers as well as their circles to unite in the worldwide fight against HIV by having users donate their statuses to AIDS awareness. For each status shared on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with the hashtag #UniteToFightHIV, the Company will donate a condom, up to 50,000 condoms, to the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to help prevent the spread of HIV.

"Education and prevention are key points of focus for our Company and community, and we are eager to launch a new campaign with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation to raise awareness for World AIDS Day," said Carol Carrozza, Vice President Marketing North America for Ansell Healthcare, the makers of LifeStyles Condoms. "Last year, we saw the impact of social media on this day, and were proud to partner with AHF to donate 25,000 condoms. This year, we hope to further our awareness campaign by increasing engagement with our fans and followers as we continue the fight."

The condom maker will ask participants to craft their own messages using the #UniteToFightHIV hashtag on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, and/or share / re-post a meme posted on the AIDS Healthcare Foundation and LifeStylesUSA social platforms, highlighting the following statistics:

• Worldwide over 35 million people are living with HIV, but an estimated 19 million of them don't even know it
• About 1 in 4 new HIV infections in the U.S. is a young adult aged 13-24
• In the U.S., 1 in 5 gay men living with HIV don't even know it

"While World AIDS Day provides many opportunities to remind people that the war on AIDS is not over, we know that encouraging sexually active individuals – especially young people – to protect themselves through consistent condom use is a message that must be shared every day through as many channels as possible," said Christopher Johnson, Associate Director of Communications for AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF). "By partnering with LifeStyles and encouraging our supporters to use the #UniteToFightHIV hashtag on World AIDS Day, we're inviting thousands of people to send a powerful message to their friends and family about acting responsibly."