Thought Theater

So the bottom line must be that contraception and contraception products promote sex for pleasure...which makes the new Trojan Condom ad campaign off limits for Fox and CBS. The networks are apparently only willing to air condom commercials that have disease prevention as the theme, and not those with a message aimed at pregnancy prevention.

The new ad campaign is called "Evolve" and the message is to use a condom every time. The problem arises from the setting and the storyline for the campaign. The ad takes place in a bar and uses pigs to depict men looking to connect with women. Once the pig purchases a condom from a vending machine in the bathroom, it is transformed into an attractive male who draws the attention of the woman seated at the bar. You can view the ad here.

From The New York Times:

Representatives for both Fox and CBS confirmed that they had refused the ads, but declined to comment further.

In a written response to Trojan, though, Fox said that it had rejected the spot because, “Contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy."

In its rejection, CBS wrote, “while we understand and appreciate the humor of this creative, we do not find it appropriate for our network even with late-night-only restrictions."

“It’s so hypocritical for any network in this culture to go all puritanical on the subject of condom use when their programming is so salacious," said Mark Crispin Miller, a media critic who teaches at New York University. “I mean, let’s get real here. Fox and CBS and all of them are in the business of nonstop soft porn, but God forbid we should use a condom in the pursuit of sexual pleasure."

“With a 75 percent share of the market, we can prioritize growing the category and increasing overall condom usage," Mr. Daniels [Vice President for Marketing] said. “Right now in the U.S. only one in four sex acts involves using a condom. That’s dramatically below usage rates in other developed countries. Our goal is to dramatically increase use."

“The ‘Evolve’ ad does a nice job of being humorous, but it’s also a serious call to action," Mr. Daniels said. “The pigs are a symbol of irresponsible sexual behavior, and are juxtaposed with the condom as a responsible symbol of respect for oneself and one’s partner."

The industry typically tries to reach men, but this campaign’s ads are running in Cosmopolitan and Glamour. Trojan sees growth potential in women customers, who make only 30 percent of condom purchases.

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To say that the mentality at Fox and CBS is archaic would be a kind characterization. Its common knowledge that a large share of television advertising and programming uses sex as a draw…a fact that clearly illuminates the hypocrisy of these networks. Apparently the rationale suggests that one simply cannot focus on measures that could protect one from sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies, or being forced to confront the possibility of an abortion…if they remotely suggest that people willfully engage in sex for pleasure.

The fact that 75 percent of all sexual acts performed in the United States take place without the use of a condom is beyond the realm of rationality. Anyone that believes that the extinguishing of sex for pleasure will eventually be the accepted moral directive and that abstinence will eventually transform the sexual practices of the nation and the world is living in denial. It just isn't going to happen.

A number of months back, Thought Theater posted a video clip of a safe sex advertisement that ran on French television...an ad that wouldn't have a chance of airing on U.S. television.

When confronted with irrationality, it seems that I often turn to humor. Perhaps it helps diffuse the frustration. Regardless, a little laughter never hurts. The following is my own satirical tongue-in-cheek visual of an ad campaign that would stand a good chance of airing on CBS and Fox.