Popular talk show host Wendy Williams, San Francisco-based Prochilo Health, and NuContext Creative, an award winning, Hollywood-based entertainment marketing and production agency, have teamed up to produce a dramatic, national PSA spot which promotes “World Aids Day,” on behalf of The National Minority AIDS Council and Gilead Sciences, Inc. The PSA calls on all Americans to join the fight to help end HIV. Angela Guice, president, Nucontext Creative, made the announcement.n nThe spot, which now appears online at various social media sites, will make its broadcast TV debut December 1 on the Logo and BET cable channels, and also during “The Wendy Williams” syndicated TV show. The PSA will also appear on the giant CBS “Super Screen” located in Times Square.nn nwww.nucontext.tv.uncategorized/hiv-psa/”>Click here to view this work.nnIn the spot, a tuxedo-clad Wendy Williams, standing against a stark white background, states, “HIV Aids is not the same epidemic it was 30 years ago, but it’s far from over. You see even today, right here in the U.S., someone is infected with HIV every nine and a half minutes. Imagine the day when new HIV infections are a thing of the past.”n nPlacing her top hat on a table and waving a magic wand over it, Williams continues, “Listen, ending HIV is not magic. All of us have the basic tools to end the epidemic.” After a rabbit leaps from it, the hat morphs into a series of luggage pieces including a satchel, a gym bag, a purse, a doctor’s medical bag, and a backpack. n nWilliams continues, “Break the silence. Talk to family and friends, church, your community and co-workers. Be a role model. Take the 20 minutes it takes to get tested and encourage others to follow your lead. If you’re HIV negative, takes steps to stay negative. If you’re HIV positive, protect yourself and others. If you’re HIV positive, talk to your doctor about HIV treatment while you’re still feeling well. Get involved—with all of us fighting stigma and discrimination, we will turn the tide.”nnAt this point in the PSA, we see a series of couples—lovers, parents and children, doctors and patients, and friends—who declare “It’s within our grasp. We have the tools. It takes all of us. HIV ends with us.” Williams, then standing in front of this group of people concludes, “Because HIV ends with us.” n nRegarding the PSA, Ann Prochilo, Principal with Prochilo Health, Inc., said, “After we crafted the concept, script and storyboard for this PSA, we were highly recommended by producers at both NBC and CBS to retain NuContext Creative to produce it. Angela and her team were terrific, a real pleasure to work with, and eager to help us promote this worthy cause. They presented a real spirit of collaboration, a willingness to delve deep into some controversial issues and brought a real creative flair to the piece. We’re just thrilled with the end result.”nnAdds Angela Guice, “It’s hard to believe that in this day and age, AIDS is still a worldwide problem and continues to kill millions. For the first time in 30 years of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, powerful HIV prevention tools now exist that can change the course of the epidemic. At this exciting crossroads, even President Obama has pronounced that the question is not ‘Whether we know what to do. But whether we will do it." nnGuice continues, “We were honored to work with Wendy and Prochilo Health to help spread the message that even in 2011, people must keep an open dialogue going about this disease. People need to keep practicing safe sex, have frank discussions with their partners, doctors and families, and keep themselves informed, whether they are infected or not. Working together, we can all help to ensure that this deadly pandemic doesn’t continue to ravage innocent people around the globe.” nnAngela Guice served as Supervising Producer for the PSA, with Brent Loefke as Director and Jessie Marcus as Producer. Ann Prochilo and Prochilo Health, Inc., served as Executive Producers. nnAbout WORLD AIDS DAYnWorld AIDS Day is held on December 1st each year and is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV, show their support for people living with HIV, and to commemorate people who have died. World AIDS Day was the first ever global health day and the first one was held in 1988. More than 90,000 people are currently living with HIV in the UK and globally an estimated 33.3 million people have HIV. More than 25 million people between 1981 and 2007 have died from the virus, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.nnToday, many scientific advances have been made in HIV treatment, there are laws to protect people living with HIV and we understand so much more about the condition. But despite this, people do not know the facts about how to protect themselves and others from HIV, and stigma and discrimination remain a reality for many people living with HIV. World AIDS Day is important as it reminds the public and Government that HIV has not gone away – there is still a vital need to raise money, increase awareness, fight prejudice and improve education.nnFor more info: www.worldaidsday.org/about-world-aids-day.phpnnAbout PROCHILO HEALTHnProchilo Health is a San Francisco-based Health Care advocacy relations and communications firm with capabilities in New York, Washington, DC, and Miami. The firm specializes in creating relationship-based solutions proven effective in product development and brand marketing. For more info:nwww.prochilo.com nnAbout NMACnThe National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) builds leadership within communities of color to address challenges of HIV/AIDS. Since 1987, NMAC has advanced this mission through a variety of programs and services, including: a public policy education program, national and regional training conferences, a treatment and research program, numerous publications and a website: www.nmac.org.nnToday, NMAC is an association of AIDS service organizations providing valuable information to community-based organizations, hospitals, clinics and other groups assisting individuals and families affected by the AIDS epidemic. NMAC’s advocacy efforts are funded through private funders and donors only. Visit the agency online at www.nmac.org.nnAbout GILEAD SCIENCES, INC.nGilead Sciences, Inc. is a research-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need. nnAbout NUCONTEXT CREATIVEnLaunched by noted producer Angela Guice in Hollywood in 2005, NuContext Creative, the winner of numerous entertainment and broadcasting industry awards and honors, specializes in the conception, production, and post production of advertising and promotional campaigns, including live action shoots, promos, upfront presentations, websites, and mobile delivery, for television networks, programs, and telefilms, theatrical film and home entertainment releases, and multi-media corporations and their products. nnMajor cable television networks and entertainment companies including THQ, Sony, NBC Universal, Oxygen, Lifetime, Lifetime Movie Network, USA Network, The Disney Channel, Syfy, Fuse, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, Teen Nick, Universal HD, Chiller, SoapNet, IFC, Sleuth, The Hub, and AMC Networks are counted among NuContext clients. Please see www.nucontext.tv.
Contact Info for NuContext: Dan Harary The Asbury PR Agency, Beverly Hills 310/859-1831 Contact Dan via email
Who Needs Los Angeles? We Do.
One doesn't have to be a statistician to know that there are fewer commercials being shot in the U.S. today for the American market than ever before, and a dramatic decrease in L.A. in particular. In the last five years, as reported by FilmLA (the office tasked with issuing permits), L.A. commercial production has dipped 31 percent. But here’s the thing: This doesn’t mean that L.A. has lost its importance as the production center of the world. Production in L.A. is vital. It is the go-to. It’s where you can count on access to exemplary crews, a support infrastructure second to none, varied location and backlot options, a large population of on-screen talent and (fairly) predictable weather. The fact is, with overall decline and now the devastation of the fires, we’re on the brink of losing this mainstay resource. Without employment opportunities and now many without homes, talented and trained crew are bound to leave either the industry or the LA area for other opportunities, unless there are enough job opportunities to sustain a solid living. Now is the time when we ALL must support and bolster this community. Production is needed in L.A., now! Of course, advertising is a business, and marketers’ money should be spent as efficiently as possible, BUT we have to think beyond each production and know that if we lose the incredible resource of L.A. production as we know it, then marketers, agencies and the industry loses in the long run. Over the past several days, some agencies have issued directives to production companies that are unilaterally pushing upcoming production options out of L.A. The fact is L.A. is a large area, and many sections of the city and county are not directly impacted... Read More