Condom brand sheathed from ad ban
The launch campaign for a new brand of condoms has escaped censure from the advertising watchdog, despite complaints claiming its ads were “offensive” and “inappropriately placed” where children might see them.
Two posters for Ansell’s condom brand Skyn, one stating “Love sex. Hate condoms. Love Skyn” and the other headlined “Roll on better sex” sparked 26 complaints from members of the public.
A firm of solicitors acting on behalf of Ansell said the company was aware of and sensitive to the issues that adverts on sexual wellness can raise.
Ansell said there would always be people who might be offended by any mention of contraception but that it believed the benefit to society in reducing unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases outweighed any such offence.
The ads were targeted at people between 22 and 34-years-old and were not placed within 100 metres of a school or near churches in order to reduce any possibility of offence, the company said.
The Advertising Standards Authority noted that both ads included the prominent use of the word “sex” alongside a woman who appeared to be only wearing her underwear but said the images and tone of the ads were not sexually explicit or provocative.
The watchdog said that, in the context of marketing for condoms, the ads were unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence and that they were responsibly placed away from any schools.
