Rocket wins Mates media account ahead of condom brand relaunch

Ansell Healthcare has appointed Rocket to handle the European media planning and buying business for its Mates condom brand, ahead of a multi-million pound relaunch in April. The incumbent on the account was BBJ, which was asked to repitch.

The move follows last year’s appointment of AMV Advance to handle the brand’s creative brief, replacing Joshua.

According to Europe, Middle East and Africa marketing manager for Mates Condoms Remco Teulings, the brand will aim to compete more effectively with Durex. He says: “We have increased our media spend considerably. Our new campaign will target the urban youth market, reminding consumers that we are still a major player in the market. We will also be introducing new products in April to combat Durex.”

The company is in the process of recruiting a UK marketing director along with a new marketing team. Teulings has responsibility for the UK at the moment.

Th

e most recent burst of advertising for the prophylactic brand was a cinema ad in 2001, which showed animals and used the strapline “Sex with Mates is fun.”

Mates was originally launched by Sir Richard Branson in the Eighties. It is the number two brand in the UK condom market, behind Durex.