Captain Condom hat

Pink and blue promotional paper hat, part of the Isle of Wight Health Commission Department of Public Health Medicine's 'Captain Condom' HIV awareness campaign, Isle of Wight, 1992

‘Captain Condom’ was a HIV awareness campaign run on the Isle of Wight in 1991-1993.

It was created by the island’s Genital, Urinary Medicine clinic, which was one of the first in the UK to integrate sexual and reproductive health services. The campaign was taken to schools and prisons, pubs, clubs and events to promote safe sex. Promotional items, such as this paper hat, were given out at the 1992 Cowes Week yachting event.

Due to the island’s close-knit community and separation from the mainland, the stigma surrounding both the LGBTQ+ community and HIV/AIDS remained strong. This campaign was designed to make HIV/AIDS a more approachable topic, in contrast to the infamous ‘AIDS: Don't Die of Ignorance' adverts of the 1980s, which featured a tombstone being made. The main target audience was young people, with local students having contributed to the final logo design.