Balbir Pasha : The Baadshah of Aids Campaigns in India

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1. “The (Balbir Pasha) campaign was assimilated as part of local culture.” What attracted the target group to the personality of Balbir Pasha?

PSI created a fictional character named Balbir Pasha whose personality traits were similar to the audience PSI wanted to target. Balbir Pasha was projected as an individual who reflected the attitudes, beliefs, and lifestyle of the target audience. This made the target audience stop and reflect on Balbir Pasha. The name ‘Balbir Pasha’ also had an element of informality, thereby creating a sense of familiarity for the target audience.

The campaign was carried on through a number of media vehicles. The use of bus shelters and local trains, cinema halls, and ads in language newspapers reinforced the image of Balbir Pasha as one among the target audience. Execution of the campaign through phases helped Balbir Pasha to gain acceptability among the audience.

The spread of time while executing the campaign also created discussions about Balbir Pasha in the city and its people. Amul and B-grade movies making references to Balbir Pasha are informal examples of how the personality of Balbir Pasha had got entrenched among the audience.