Creepy Condom Ad Causes Controversy on Facebook
Not all friend requests should be trusted-especially when they come from your unborn babies.
A Brazilian ad agency, AGE Isobar, has come up with a novel campaign for their client, Olla condoms. They've created Facebook profiles of the babies guys could have if they don't practice safe sex.
The company actually targeted specific guys' profiles (like poor William Silva, above) and created a fake profile of their hypothetical "jr." version (see William Silva Jr.). Once accepted, Jr. posts an innocent comment about how awesome Olla condoms are on dear old dad's page.
The campaign is called "Unexpected Babies" and it's bound to scare at least a few guys into double-bagging it.
Adfreak, Adweek's industry blog, called the concept "kind of clever…[but] surely against Facebook's usage guidelines."
The blog Adverve had a more philosophical bone to pick with the campaign.
"Weirder than getting a FB add from your hypothetical baby: said baby encouraging you not to conceive it," writes a blogger. "There's something wrong with this picture."
Does it have anything to do with the baby in the photo? Think about, when was the last time a baby was used to sell condoms? While this scare tactic is extreme, it's worth noting how rarely advertisers equate condoms with consequences of not wearing them.
In the U.S., major condom brands target their male consumers with a buffet of hyper-sexual images and pre-game scenarios. So 'buckling up' seems like it's just another part of foreplay and not the baby-proofing protection it's intended to be. That may get guys to buy the box of condoms, but it doesn't guarantee they'll open it.
As disturbing as the "Unexpected Babies" campaign is, it's got a point. Babies come from guys who don't wear condoms and the women who love them. Facebooking babies, on the other hand, come from slightly deranged ad execs.
Related:
The history of condoms
Guys who hate condoms: ditch em?
Candie's contradictory ad campaign
