Mates campaign causes offence

Ansell Healthcare has come under fire from several city planning departments and poster contractors for an illegal flyposting campaign called “ishaggedhere.com”, for its Mates condom brand.

The campaign was booked by Rocket PHD and distributed by ambient media company Diabolical Liberties, and has appeared across London as part of a campaign by the condom manufacturer to promote spontaneous outdoor sex.

Billboard company Maiden Outdoor has already written to Ansell managing director Mike Bennett demanding the company pays the full media cost of a 96-sheet space after one of Maiden’s sites was half-covered by the flyposters.

Clear Channel Billboards says it has had a similar problem with the flyposters, and intends to take up the matter with Ansell. A spokeswoman for the company added that flyposting on its sites is treated as “vandalism”.

Ansell marketing and business development manager Remco Teulings says: “What we want to achieve is an increase in the number of men and women using condoms, and with the recent steep increase in STI’s and unwanted pregnancies, this can only be a good thing. We do not wish to cause offence and as a responsible healthcare company, any complaints we receive are being dealt with promptly and effectively.”

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