Christopher Spinelli
art director, content creator, designer
Campaign Tagline and Theme
Every aspect of the AIDS Walk New York 2024 marketing campaign reinforces the tagline “Stride Past Stigma”.
Our goal was to inspire 2024 attendees to take meaningful steps in combating HIV and AIDS stigma. We chose "stride" to convey purposeful, forward-moving action, symbolizing both physical participation in the walk and progress toward a stigma-free future. The tagline encapsulates strength, empowerment, and resilience—qualities needed in the ongoing fight against HIV and AIDS stigma, a central cause in GMHC's mission.
The tagline's main treatment uses Antique Olive Nord—an ultra-bold, extended sans-serif humanist typeface. It's rotated and sheared at a 15-degree angle, creating a striking visual that perfectly matches the message's boldness.
A key element in the campaign features photographs of a member from the House of Miyake-Mugler, a legendary house in the Ballroom community. Their energetic performance at the 2022 AIDS Walk New York closing ceremony stood out as one of that year's highlights.
Promotional Videos
Working with BRIC (Brooklyn Information & Culture) our team created short videos for social media and television promoting AIDS Walk and the 2024 theme, "Stride past Stigma".
The GMHC team also collaborated with the media company Mesmerize on a second set of promotional videos.
Out of Home (OOH) Advertising
Thousands of NYC commuters viewed our AIDS Walk New York subway ads, which appeared on all 36 lines—except the 42nd Street Shuttle.
Beyond our extensive subway campaign, millions viewed our AIDS Walk New York LinkNYC ads on 30 screens across Manhattan. These displays generated over 2 million program impressions.
Website
In 2023, we partnered with web design agency New Tricks to create a dedicated website for AIDS Walk New York. Our goals were to boost brand visibility and offer fundraisers a user-friendly platform with key information about the Walk's history, event details, and fundraising tips. The site proved successful, attracting over 94,000 unique visitors in the months leading up to the 2024 Walk.
Social Media Campaign
Our AIDS Walk New York social media featured bold campaign messaging alongside sponsor content and shoutouts. Social posts also drove significant traffic to the AIDS Walk New York website.
Email Marketing Campaign
Our comprehensive email marketing campaign served multiple purposes: it promoted AIDS Walk New York to the general public, encouraged sign-ups, supported registered walkers in their fundraising efforts, and provided crucial event day information.
T-Shirts
Thousands of attendees proudly wore the AIDS Walk New York walker and volunteer t-shirts. Our goal was to use the AIDS Walk's red and black color palette to highlight the power of the 2024 tagline, ensuring it had a prominent presence throughout the day.
Sponsor Return on Investment (ROI) Reports
To show our gratitude to AIDS Walk sponsors—essential allies in GMHC's fight against HIV and AIDS stigma—we create custom ROI reports for top partners, along with a general report for all sponsors. These reports highlight how sponsors' participation generates positive brand associations throughout the campaign.
