AHF Condom Ad Goes Bananas in Chicago

“Just Use It” campaign initially rejected everywhere but Los Angeles now on display in Chicago, New York City, and Miami

AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s (AHF) “Just Use It” billboard campaign now is running in three new cities – Chicago, New York City, and Miami – after several national out-of-home advertising companies refused the artwork back in August.

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AHF's “Just Use It” billboard campaign now is running in three new cities – Chicago, New York City, and Miami – after several national out-of-home advertising companies refused the artwork back in August. The billboards feature a condom-covered banana with the “Just Use It” slogan and the “useacondom.com URL." One seen here is adjacent to Brett's Kitchen on the corner of Superior St. and Franklin St. in Chicago, IL 60654 (Photo: Business Wire)

The billboards featuring a condom-covered banana with the “Just Use It” slogan and the “useacondom.com” URL originally only appeared in six central Los Angeles, CA locations.

AHF offers free condoms at almost all of its facilities nationwide, including its 69 Healthcare Centers, 36 Wellness Centers, 62 Pharmacies, and 22 Out of the Closet thrift stores and offers free sexually transmitted infection (STI) and HIV testing at 36 Wellness Centers across 14 states.

“It’s ridiculous we couldn’t run an ad with a condom-clad banana. It’s just a piece of fruit,” said Michael Weinstein, AHF president and cofounder. “We may be moralistic in attitude, but the rising rates of STIs in Illinois prove we are hedonistic in behavior. We need blunt advertising to get the point across.”

In Illinois, case rates of gonorrhea and syphilis rose 28.9% and 34.6% respectively between 2017 and 2021.

The “Just Use It” billboard is up at 233 W Superior St. at Franklin St. and will be posted until December 24, 2023.

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), the world’s largest HIV/AIDS healthcare organization, provides cutting-edge medicine and advocacy to more than 1.8 million individuals across 45 countries, including the U.S. and in Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region, and Eastern Europe. To learn more about AHF, visit us online at AIDShealth.org, find us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, and subscribe to our AHFter Hours podcast.

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In Illinois, case rates of gonorrhea and syphilis rose 28.9% and 34.6% respectively between 2017 and 2021. The “Just Use It” billboard is up in Chicago at 233 W Superior St. at Franklin St. and will be posted until December 24, 2023.