{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,13]],"date-time":"2026-01-13T14:45:01Z","timestamp":1768315501362,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"S2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]],"date-time":"2025-07-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1751414400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":1,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/100000200","name":"United States Agency for International Development","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","id":[{"id":"10.13039\/100000200","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["J Int AIDS Soc."],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2025,7]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub\u2010Saharan Africa (SSA) remain one of the populations most affected by HIV. As HIV prevention options expand\u2014such as the introduction of the dapivirine ring, long\u2010acting injectable cabotegravir and other potential long\u2010acting methods\u2014alongside oral pre\u2010exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), AGYW will have a choice of PrEP methods for HIV prevention, referred to as the PrEP category. Marketing and demand generation must evolve to communicate this choice to AGYW in real\u2010world settings across SSA.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>Using a phased approach to learn, build, iterate and validate, we developed a brand positioning strategy for the PrEP category for AGYW. In 2022, a review of existing and historic oral PrEP campaigns informed initial insights (learn). In 2023, these were further explored and developed with eight young women representatives under the age of 30 (build), then refined with PrEP implementers and Ministry of Health representatives from eight SSA countries (iterate), through five consultative virtual workshops of up to 25 participants each. Insights were funnelled through a private sector marketing framework\u2014the 4C's\u2014to develop a single key brand benefit (KBB), ensuring it was culturally relevant, category\u2010specific, consumer\u2010driven and product (company)\u2010true. The KBB was then creatively applied to posters, narratives and key messages for validation with AGYW (validate). From July to August 2023, 121 AGYW aged 18\u201324 participated in 16 group discussions to validate the brand positioning strategy; 44 in South Africa (6 groups), 32 in Zimbabwe (4 groups) and 45 in Kenya (6 groups).<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>Post\u2010validation, an optimized KBB emerged: PrEP affirms that self\u2010love is strength\u2014positioning PrEP as a way for AGYW to prioritize their physical health and mental wellbeing, and live a life uninterrupted by HIV. We developed a deeper understanding of the influences shaping AGYW's relationship with the PrEP category, answering: <jats:italic>What do AGYW feel in their hearts and think in their minds about PrEP?<\/jats:italic><\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title><jats:p>This strategic, evidence\u2010informed brand positioning\u2014developed with AGYW, confirms that communication to promote PrEP uptake and continued use must resonate with AGYW's inner strength and frame PrEP use as an act of self\u2010love. It offers a powerful foundation for clear, consistent and inspiring communication that engage and retain AGYW's attention.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1002\/jia2.26480","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]],"date-time":"2025-07-02T07:31:43Z","timestamp":1751441503000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Transforming PrEP marketing: understanding the place of PrEP in the hearts and minds of adolescent girls and young women in sub\u2010Saharan Africa"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"28","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-7756-5708","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Emily de Lacy","family":"Donaldson","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"FHI 360  Durham North Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Elmari","family":"Briedenhann","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Wits RHI  Johannesburg South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6287-5289","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Patriciah","family":"Jeckonia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"LVCT Health  Nairobi Kenya"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Casey","family":"Bishopp","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"FHI 360  Durham North Carolina USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anelde","family":"Greeff","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"2Stories  Cape Town South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Definate","family":"Nhamo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pangaea Zimbabwe  Harare Zimbabwe"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,2]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_12_2_1","volume-title":"The path that ends AIDS: UNAIDS global AIDS update 2023","year":"2023"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_3_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41591-020-0872-x"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_4_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1089\/apc.2023.0117"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_5_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s10508-020-01880-y"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_6_1","volume-title":"Positioning: the battle for your mind","author":"Ries A","year":"1981"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_7_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1007\/s13142-014-0272-1"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_8_1","unstructured":"Pre\u2010exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) [Internet].World Health Organization[cited 2025 Jan 13]. 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Available from:https:\/\/www.launchnotes.com\/blog\/understanding\u2010positioning\u2010marketing\u2010definition\u2010and\u2010key\u2010concepts#:~:text=Defining%20Positioning%20Marketing.%20Positioning%20marketing%20is%20a in%20the%20minds%20of%20the%20target%20audience."},{"key":"e_1_2_12_11_1","volume-title":"Knowledge at Wharton [Internet]","author":"Murphy C","year":"2016"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_12_1","volume-title":"Forging an iron clad brand: a leader's guide","author":"Pederson L","year":"2019"},{"key":"e_1_2_12_13_1","unstructured":"MooreM DotsonM PedersenB.Creating demand for PrEP among adolescent girls & young women: review of HIV PrEP and contraceptive focused projects in sub\u2010Saharan Africa [Internet].CHOICE: Collaboration for HIV Prevention Options to Control the Epidemic;2020Mar [cited 2024 Aug 27]. 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