Rivals revisits harrowing AIDS/HIV advert that terrified a generation in the 80s
Do you remember the advert?
Rivals is back with the second half of series 2 and – amongst the sex, booze, and camp humour – there’s a sobering reminder of the 1980s HIV/AIDS epidemic and the advert that terrified viewers.
Not one to shy away from the difficult subjects, episode 7 of the drama takes us back nearly 50 years. Anyone who lived through that time will know that the threat of HIV and AIDS began to loom heavily over the lives of the British public. And an advert warning against the dangers of unsafe sex was a regular sight on our television screens.
It was a scary time, especially for the gay population – who were believed to be most at risk. Similarly to Covid-19 more recently, some people lived in fear for their lives.
Those who grew up in that time will remember the public service announcements and terrifying TV advert which attempted to raise awareness. It’s no wonder that poor (closeted homosexual) Gerald was scared after watching it in Rivals…
What was the HIV/AIDS tombstone advert?
The AIDS: Don’t Die of Ignorance advertising campaign featured the famous monolith tombstone. It officially launched on January 9, 1987. And it frightened the bejesus out of us all. Which was exactly its intention…
The HIV/AIDS advert went out in the 1980s, intended to convey the seriousness of the illness that was claiming lives. Along with adverts about child abuse and drink driving, it remains one of the most sobering public service announcements to this day.
The 40-second film combined apocalyptic imagery with John Hurt’s grave voiceover. The late actor narrated the highly-charged and doom-laden advertisement from the AIDS awareness campaign.
The ad began with a volcano erupting under a dark sky, with rocks exploding down a cliff face in slow motion. Then an industrial drill bored into a huge block of rock. A chisel carved the word AIDS into the polished surface of a granite headstone.
A leaflet entitled ‘Don’t Die of Ignorance’ then landed on the headstone alongside a bouquet of white lilies. The film formed part of a £5million campaign to combat the growing AIDS epidemic.
Who voiced the HIV and AIDS advert?
Actor John Hurt narrated the sinister ad. In it, he ominously said: “There is now a danger that has become a threat to us all. It is a deadly disease and there is no known cure. The virus can be passed during sexual intercourse with an infected person. Anyone can get it – man or woman. So far it’s been confined to small groups, but it’s spreading.
“So protect yourself. Read this leaflet when it arrives. If you ignore AIDS, it could be the death of you. So don’t die of ignorance.”
The speech was accompanied by the funeral tolling of a bell.
Did the advert work?
With its stark warnings and bleak message, the advert shocked viewers when it first appeared on British screens in 1986.
Immediately, it faced accusations of panic-mongering and complaints that it would terrify any children who happened to be watching. The campaign was the world’s first major government-sponsored national AIDS awareness drive.
Advertiser Malcolm Gaskin says: “Scaring people was deliberate to guarantee that the viewers would read the leaflets posted to their house.”
The advert was deliberately short to keep the viewers attention. Director Nicholas Roeg was chosen for his signature “doom and gloom sci-fi aesthetic”.
HIV and AIDS advert also featured in It’s a Sin in 2021
Russell T Davies’ It’s a Sin, which aired in 2021, also reminded its viewers of the scary ad.
The drama, which is still available to watch on Channel4.com, followed a group of young gay men in the 1980s during the AIDS crisis.
We met Ritchie, Roscoe, and Colin – all gay teens living in London. Along with fellow student Ash and best friend Jill, they formed a gang and moved into a flat, christened the Pink Palace.
However, a distant threat on the horizon meant that life in the 80s was “all too precious”.
Read more: Rivals series 2 part 2 start date and full release schedule: When is the next episode?
