A public service announcement that promotes HIV awareness to young African-Americans has been awarded a silver Telly Award – the top award given by the Tellys – in an international competition honoring video productions and commercials. The ad, which sends the message that anyone can be affected and that no one is immune, was produced by MEE Productions Inc. of Philadelphia. It was selected for an award in the non-profit category from among 12,000 entries.
The ad is part of an education program for African-American adolescents coordinated by ARCI and funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. Participating institutions in addition to the Annenberg Public Policy Center are Brown University, Emory University, Syracuse University and the University of South Carolina.
The HIV public service announcement was one of three Telly Awards presented to MEE Productions. Two other ads, urging more community involvement to reduce violence, received a silver and a bronze Telly. They are part of the Blueprint for a Safer Philadelphia campaign, a public health effort to end youth violence in the city.
