We want to join with our friends at the Canadian Federation of Sexual Health, and OptBC to 'Heart Your Parts' on this Valentine's day.
February 14th is always a special day to us because it not only marks our birthday as a company, but also because "LOVE" is such a big part of the work that we do. We've been known for our sexy campaigns in the past,and as we like to say, 'putting safe sex in advertising where it belongs." But we also do some work that's more heart-felt than risque.
We particularly love working with Chee Mamuk (Aboriginal program of the BC CDC), on their sexual health campaigns around HIV.
Last month, we did a photo shoot with a group of six people who are all affected by HIV in some way for a new book that Chee Mamuk is putting together. All the participants talked about how love and support from their communities is so important. One woman who is HIV positive told us about how she was able to get healthier because of her partner, and how his love and commitment - as someone who is HIV negative - was the ultimate support that allowed her to get help and get healthy. We're just working on the layout of this book now, so stay tuned for when it launches.
All of this work reminds us that love is the only way that we can conquer stigma around HIV, and love is the best way we can support those living with HIV. You can also check out a short video we did for Chee Mamuk and the First Nations Health Authority about the Around the Kitchen Table program.
We're very committed to all our work around sexual health, and harm reduction. Another project with 'heart' that we're working on is the Toward the Heart Website and e'zine. Check it out! We're looking forward to connecting with more people who are doing sexual health work in our communities. Stay tuned.
David Ng is a Hello Cool World veteran with experience going back a decade. David first worked with us when he was just 14 years old as a participant in the youth advisory group for the sexual health education program Condomania. Now an accomplished videographer passionate about the issues of gender and power, he is currently on sabbatical in South Africa while he pursues a Masters in Gender Studies with a focus on international development.
Hello Cool World has been pleased to offer our Canadian shoppers Good Clean Love products in the Hello Cool World webstore since December. In our work we strive to be as sex-positive as possible and, as our Creative Director Kat likes to say, we are in the business of "pleasure management." So when we connected with Wendy Strgar, an Oregon-based entrepreneur and loveologist, it was a perfect match.
Good Clean Love makes natural, organic products to enhance intimacy and loving relationships. On her blog, the Good Clean Love Daily, Wendy addresses questions and topics around building and sustaining healthy relationships. "True happiness comes as a result of sustained emotional investment in other people," writes Wendy.
Her products, including love oils, body candy and lubricants, bring lovers closer together. "A sex life is actually a fairly accurate reflection of your overall health. Hundreds of studies link a satisfying sex life with reduced stress, illness and depression. Sexual activity is even associated with longevity."
Michelle is a freelance writer and anthropologist with a Master of Public Health from UBC. Her passions are promoting health and building community. She's worked in grassroots community organizations in Vancouver, Victoria and Oceania.
Orgasm Inc. is a fine and funny film about a subject that in 2011 shouldn't be shocking, but that still is. The shock factor, for me, was not in any explicit sex scenes, but in the revelation that after Kinsey and decades of feminism, not to mention South Park, too many women and men still have no idea how to find the clitoris! What should be shocking, but is intead business as usual, is how big pharma preys upon our desire for desire in order to pitch us more pills. Orgasm Inc. is playing in several cities this June - including Vancouver's Cinemateque. For details on upcoming screenings click here.
I went to to the film with friend and research associate Cindy Masaro when it was part of SFU's conference "The Medicalization of Sex". Then I caught up with director Liz Canner to do an interrview with her. We'll be posting clips of the interview as part of our Hello Cool World Vlog series. We'll also be talking to Cindy about her research and thoughts on the film. For more about the film, links to the trailer etc. read on...
Katherine Dodds AKA "Kat" is the founder of Good Company Communications and HelloCoolWorld.com. Trained in renegade advertising & branding through her work with Adbusters in the '90s, Kat's early induction into the possibilities of the web-world was inspired by the term hypertext, which she immediately found comforting. She is dedicated to cause-related communication and to the development and use of tools that promote democratic processes.
On November 4 2008, Proposition 8 was passed in the state of California to ban same-sex marriages. Considering that same-sex marriages were legalised merely 5 months prior to the Prop 8 amendment, you can imagine how the LGBT community reacted, and no, they were not stoked.
The NOH8 Campaign was created by celebrity photographer Adam Bouska and his partner Jess Parshley to silently protest Proposition 8 with a series of photos. You may recognise these photos featuring subjects with duct tape over their mouths, symbolizing their voices being silenced by Prop 8 and similar legislation around the world, with "NOH8" painted on one cheek.
By holding open photo shoots around the world, the NOH8 Campaign has grown exponentially since its grassroots beginnings uniting over 13,000 faces to the social cause. This weekend NOH8 will be in New York City to host yet another open photo shoot, but to also fundraise for AIDS Walk NY. With a social agenda to end discrimination in all its forms, this cause couldn't be more important to me, a fellow gay.
My dear friend (and Hello Cool World's Media Buyer) Kevin Young will be flying out of Vancouver on his own bill to volunteer at this NYC event, and we couldn't be more proud of him. Best of luck Kev! You're gonna do big things :)
Bella is the newest addition to Hello Cool World, enlisting for the cause at the end of 2010. A graduate of BCIT's Broadcast Communications for TV program, she's worked in all aspects of production and has a knack for new media & technology.
Hello Cool World's campaign with Options For Sexual Health hits the airwaves! Watch for our ad featuring full frontal condom nudity on the late night time slots on CBC and Global starting today, Feb 21! It's also on our site: www.ThatsSoSexy.com
The two versions of the 30 second spot will be on CBC during Ghost Whisperer airing 12 pm to 1am until March 14 and on Global until March 5 during their late night rotation 11:30pm - 3:30am airing after the night news and during the re-runs of ET, and ET Canada (may also include late night movies, PGA golf and Family Guy).
This ad was first created a few years ago, Directed by David Ng, with funding from The Vancouver Foundation & Hello Cool World, with Non-profit Partner Options for Sexual Health. It was created with the help of DOP & Mentor Paul Lang, Video In Studios, The Hive, Terry Fairfield and featuring the sultry voice over of non-other than my niece Amanda Dodds! This 'anniversary edition' was remixed just before David left for Cape Town and grad school, and used some of the recent photos from the Opt photoshoot. (You may have seen the bus ad around down featuring a couple making out in the clinic waiting room with the tag - "We've Got A Room For You"!)
David Ng is a Hello Cool World veteran with experience going back a decade. David first worked with us when he was just 14 years old as a participant in the youth advisory group for the sexual health education program Condomania. Now an accomplished videographer passionate about the issues of gender and power, he is currently on sabbatical in South Africa while he pursues a Masters in Gender Studies with a focus on international development.
Katherine Dodds AKA "Kat" is the founder of Good Company Communications and HelloCoolWorld.com. Trained in renegade advertising & branding through her work with Adbusters in the '90s, Kat's early induction into the possibilities of the web-world was inspired by the term hypertext, which she immediately found comforting. She is dedicated to cause-related communication and to the development and use of tools that promote democratic processes.
On November 4 2008, Proposition 8 was passed in the state of California to ban same-sex marriages. Considering that same-sex marriages were legalised merely 5 months prior to the Prop 8 amendment, you can imagine how the LGBT community reacted, and no, they were not stoked.
