A Sexperiment Video By Durex Encourages The Nation To Make Love Without Fear On World Aids Day

If there’s one category of ads on television that everyone lingers for when its playing, is a condom ad. Unless of course there’s family around. Durex India has been known for some of their creative and in-your-face marketing that’s given them such a large market share in the country. The ‘Make Love Without Fear’ campaign has been launched in association with MTV and Creativeland Asia. As always, their campaigns are never short of eye-catching strategies.

Objective

• Encouraging India’s youth to engage in open conversation about safe sex.
• Raising awareness among the youth and general population of India about sexual intercourse and demystifying the stigma attached to it.

Durex India has targeted the youth of the country for World Aids Day with their campaign to bring about a greater understanding of the one word our culture seems to attach taboo to – sex. The objective here is to get people educated, let alone have an understanding of making love safely, without creating and undesirable pregnancy that may just ruin an individual’s life.

Execution

For the execution of this campaign, Durex India has launched condoms for sale on Snapdeal.com, Flipkart and www.durexindia.com at a meager price of Rs.1.00 each on World Aids Day.

Another video that comprises of people who were asked to enter a room and then making them speak about sex for a minute. The result is hilarious with people under the pressure of the moment and looking for an easy out. The video, labeled ‘The Sexperiment’ is a really good watch!

Durex’s brand ambassador, Ranveer Singh (Bollywood Actor) has been a part of videos condoning the campaign’s message. His own words: “Together with Durex I'd like to take an initiative urging young people to bring sex 'out of the closet'.” The Facebook and Twitter accounts for Durex have been uploading daily posts with the same content almost every day for their fans and viewers to have a look.

The website itself has a small form that allows users viewing it to choose their gender and submit their knowledge about sex and what they would like to know more about. This interactive addition to the site allows the user to gain important information about sexual intercourse and avoiding the spread of STD’s.

Durex has also launched the Durex MTV ReX Talk which is a 2 week bootcamp for 16 contestants that will be divided into 4 teams. These 4 teams will have to accomplish tasks that are built around social problems in our society today. Ever stuttered at a pharmacy when asking for condoms?

Positives

Embracing the taboo and campaigning about it

Durex India has never shied away from promoting its product in a way that may make you blush. Whether TV ads, print or through social media their approach has always been to make people in India look at sex the way they do. The other markets they operate in across the globe may not prove as dicey as the Asian market. But kudos to them for the way they have encouraged the youth of the country to look at it differently. If nothing else, they will manage to learn a few things about the art of love making to ensure that it is safe for the individuals involved while reducing the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases spreading.

Constantly pining about something will eventually make a few heads turn. Durex India has foregone their safe corner and aggressively promoted safe sex.

Using a brand ambassador like Ranveer Singh

India’s current youth icon, whether it be for sexual appeal or fashion sense is trending with Ranveer Singh. Durex India couldn’t have chosen a better brand ambassador. The youth seem to look up to him, want to imitate his hair style and dressing sense. Anything to make them appeal to people like he does. So when a strong message such as ‘Make Love Without Fear’ is sent out through his words, it makes all the difference in the world. People will stop and listen. The fact that MTV themselves too are involved and hosting the bootcamp is definitely a plus factor.

An important message needs someone equally important to deliver. The relevance of the brand ambassador
in this case is extremely relevant.

Scope for Improvement

Campaign may not reach the poorer classes

As with a lot of things in societies in India, this campaign may only reach the tech savvy or literate population. The larger sections of the country have populaces that do not even know the purpose of a condom, let alone its existence. These individuals may never be reached by the social media and television ads that have been used to promote safe sex by Durex. Perhaps a campaign in the rural areas where STD’s and unplanned pregnancies are prevalent.

While reaching out to the youth of the country is great, reaching the country’s rural areas is equally important and critical.

Conclusion

This campaign is a great idea and apart from the scope of improvement a brilliant means to target the youth of the country in an effort to educate them about sex and the more importantly, safe sex. While most of the youth in the country are illiterate about the topic of sex in our country, this campaign shows them the importance of seeing it as a means to learn and be a smarter individual while making love.