Features: Magazine | Literary Review | Life | Metro Plus | Open Page | Education Plus | Book Review | Business | SciTech | Friday Review | Young World | Property Plus | Quest | Folio |

Fashionable cause

Designer Sanjana Jon is all set to bring Miss Universe to India for spreading HIV/AIDS awareness

PHOTO R. RAGU

ALL FOR A CAUSE Sanjana Jon strikes a pose

Coming out of the shadows of her brother Anand Jon, the New York-based celebrity designer Sanjana Jon is busy blending fashion with a cause on the canvas of marketing. In Delhi to promote her annual fashion event where she brings in Miss Universe to spread awareness about HIV/AIDS, Sanjana, who headed her brother's marketing team before branching out as a designer herself, says these are the days of guerrilla marketing.

"People are no longer moved by advertisements. They make out that the company has bought the space. But when a celebrity endorses the product, particularly during an event like the Oscars, they believe it's for real."

Stretching the strategy to a cause, Sanjana, who hails from Tamil Nadu, has been bringing in the reigning Miss Universe for the last couple of years. "In fact, it started in 2003 when we did an event with Manoj Night Shyamalan in New York. Subsequently, going through statistics — like out of 1.2 billion cases in India, 75 per cent are below the age of 30 — I felt the problem was much more critical in my country, particularly in the State of Tamil Nadu. With my mother Shashi Abraham (who takes care of the India operations), I visited Papa Vidyakar's homes in Tamil Nadu. They were full of innocent housewives afflicted with HIV. They had no clue how they got it. I realised when a supposedly conservative society has such a large number of cases, there is some incongruity in how we are dealing with the problem."

Test in fashion

Sanjana continues, "Despite it being a disease, which can be prevented, there is a stigma attached to even getting tested. So we started with the punch line `Get tested, it's in fashion'. Then in the beginning it was prudent to focus on truck drivers for spreading the virus, but this doesn't mean that the other sections of the society are not at risk."

She decided to bring in Miss Universe for global appeal. "It also suited her profile, so bringing her was not difficult. But in the first year, we realised that a local celebrity is also required to take the message beyond the cities. Fortunately last year, we got Salman Khan, who was fresh from the success of Phir Milenge." Attesting her approach, Sanjana says, "Our feedback shows that in cities where Salman urged people to get tested, youngsters did turn up in large numbers at test centres."

This year Sanjana promises to take the event - to be held in October-end - to nine cities across the country. Shares Sanjana, "Besides Bollywood, this time we are planning to rope in local stars in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, sports persons and young politicians. Apart from the ramp show we would also organise a walk. I am also planning to bring in Howie of Backstreet Boys as a separate event. My mother is also in touch with Shashi Tharoor for the UN support," sums up the celebrity designer.

ANUJ KUMAR

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail