Condom Advertising Essay

Condom has been a vital contraceptive and STD prevention tool for thousands of years. Several types of male and female condoms are available. Some condoms are made of plastic or animal tissue i. e. lambskin, latex. Condoms are the most effective against viruses such as HIV but Condom use declined markedly during the 1960s as the birth control pills was introduced and contraceptive devices such IUDs became more widely accepted. After the introduction of birth control pills people started avoiding condoms because according to them sex with condoms doesn’t give that much pleasure, But the emergence of HIV/AIDS in the early 1980s , condom use re-emerged and has became increasingly recognized as a critical means of preventing infection with HIV and other STDs that can facilitate HIV infection. Yet many of those at high risk of contracting HIV are not using condoms consistently. For example, recent studies have found that 40 % of sexually active high school students or adult world wide did not use a condom during their most ecent sexual encounter and 87 percent do not believe they are at risk of acquiring HIV. Controversy over Condoms Advertising: Condoms promotion campaigns especially those using a mass media and targeting sexually active youth are controversial. Public usually don’t want to see condoms commercial. Especially in Islamic society, a large number of people are against contraceptive advertising. Do people really feel embarrassed watching such ads in front of their family? Fear of public controversy makes official support difficult and often weakens the potential impact of mass media interventions by diluting the content of the message. Entertaining condoms commercials do always face public’s controversy. Networks don’t care whether commercials contained message or not, they want decent condoms commercials. They want condoms marketer to hide other benefits of condom except prevention of STDs and HIV/AIDs. But do decent condoms commercial can make an impact on consumers mind? Does use of humor and sexual appeal in condoms commercial lead the youngsters towards sex? Networks have been slow to respond to the increasing public acceptance of condom advertising for fear of arousing the opposition of conservative groups. Networks believe that viewers think that condoms encourage promiscuity or may be uncomfortable with the idea of condom advertising within the privacy of homes. Most of the networks want very decent commercials of condoms or otherwise they do reject commercial; Recently FOX and CBS both rejected the Trojan pigs commercial. Both had accepted Trojan’s previous campaign, which urge condom use because of the possibility that a partner might be H. I. V positive, perhaps unknowingly. In a written response to Trojan, though, FOX said that it had rejected the spot because â€Å"Contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy. † Due to limited budget and other restrictions, condom marketers and advertisers are facing many problems, because of these restrictions condoms advertiser tend to direct their message to niches audiences through targeted magazines and cable stations (i-e MTV, Channel V, SHE magazine ) rather than the major broadcast networks. The restrictions placed on condom advertising by networks and local stations combined with the modest dvertising budgets of condoms marketers has kept condom advertising at low to imperceptible levels. Advertising of condoms remains more restricted than advertising of many other products including contraceptives. And whether it is due to those restrictions or for other financial reasons, the advertising budgets of condom companies have been so low that condom ads h ave been relatively rare even on those networks and affiliates willing to accept such ads. We have seen many beer commercials; Viagra and oral contraceptive appear on TV (different networks of world) regularly, condom advertising remains limited and highly controversial. Condom advertising is prohibited by National Association of broadcasters’ (NAB) code of Conducts and many religious parties do not permit networks to air its commercials. The first network in the world was KNTV, San Jose, which despite codes decided to carry a spot for Trojan in 1975. Some of the networks and stations that accept condom commercials impose certain limits on them, such as restricting the time of the day they can be run, or requiring their messages to be focused on diseases prevention rather than birth control. Condom marketers express frustration with the time limits networks impose. Condoms marketer could not place their condom ad during primetime even though other consumer product are able to run a network commercial that stimulate sex. Some networks draw a strong line between messages about disease prevention – which may be allowed – and those about pregnancy prevention, which may be considered controversial for religious and moral reasons. Policies for Condoms Advertising: The sensitive and personal nature of this product category warrants that particular care be exercised by the advertiser in the development of commercials. Such commercials will be accepted only if they meet the following conditions: Commercials must: †¢deal solely with the issue of disease prevention †¢make education of the public of primary importance †¢display and promotion of the product must be done in a responsible and sensible manner Commercials must not: †¢make mention of contraception †¢promote casual sex and promiscuity Public Opposition: Usually in forming policies for condom advertising, networks executives rely heavily on audience feedback. The less they hear from viewers on issues around condoms advertising, the better they assume such advertising is received. Silence is golden in this case! The less response, the better it is. Industry executives agree that the landscape for condom ads has improved markedly in the last several years but note that there are still significant obstacles to overcome for greater consistency in policy and broader acceptance. Advertisers vow to continue trying to reach a broad market through network television and say they will grow their budgets when they can more easily place their ads. Most networks say they will continue to evaluate viewer reception to ads from this small but increasingly less controversial advertiser. Most of the people believe that condom ads motivate young’s to do sex because it eliminates the fear of HIV/AIDS, STDs and Pregnancy. And it opposes the traditional values that sex should be kept within the marriage bed. People oppose condom ads because they promote promiscuity. Some TV stations, especially on cable, permit some limited condom advertising, but only late at night when children are presumed to be asleep. Condoms adverts do often appear in magazines which appeal to young adults. Whenever people see condom commercials they switched the other channel or will turnoff the T. V set or may be leave the gathering immediately. Family planning groups argue such ads could help reduce teen pregnancies and check the spread of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS. People celebrate the sensational aspects of sex and sexuality while entangling the public health aspects of the issue in a straightjacket of fear, shame and denial. Manufacturer do use sexy images to sell sneakers, soft drinks, cars and cosmetics, doesn’t it make a sense for the condom marketer to use them. What do we believe that condom advertising should be aired on TV, there was no consensus on how ad should feature the product and when it should be aired. Our world is on the verge of an AIDs epidemic. Can we afford to be coy about sex and contraception? In urban settings, people seem to know that condoms, if used properly can deter the spread of HIV/AIDs and prevent pregnancy. Many new studies have shown that condom advertising, banned for many years on network television is acceptable to most Americans, Europeans, Germans and Asians. The spread of HIV/AIDS has convinced a growing number of governments to liberalize policies toward condom advertising. Condom ads were once banned in the United Kingdom and France, for example, but are now legal. Other countries that explicitly permit condom advertising include Brazil, Colombia, Denmark, France, Peru, Singapore, and Uganda. The government of Ethiopia itself advertises contraceptives, including condoms. In Russia a government safe-sex campaign uses advertising as its main approach. In contrast, some governments continue to forbid condom advertising or strictly regulate it. In Indonesia, for example, condom advertising is not allowed if condoms are promoted for sexual activities such as extramarital sex or sex with commercial sex workers—illicit activities likely to spread HIV/AIDS—but is acceptable if condoms are promoted as a family planning method . Condom ads do not negatively affect viewer’s attitudes toward advertising, although networks restrict the time of the day when condom ads can air and limit their message and tone. But the question arises that these ads should be aired only on a particular time Do the message of safe sex if not for the whole society? Or only particular classes of society are exposed to the risk of sexually transmitted diseases or HIV/AIDs or pregnancy? Ten years ago, no broadcast television network would air a paid condom commercial. Today, three of the six major broadcast networks allow condom companies to advertise on their airwaves, with some limitations on message, tone, and time of day. Fox began accepting condom ads in 1991, CBS in 1998, and NBC in 1999. ABC, UPN, and The WB continue to prohibit paid condom ads. ABC airs ads for prescription birth control pills, and The WB says it would consider ads for the pill as well. UPN and The WB do not broadcast network programming after 10 p. m. Several cable companies have allowed condom advertising for years, and some broadcasters that restrict paid condom ads accept public service ads referencing condoms or safer sex. One advertising agency said that television is one of the most effective means of educating people on the use of contraceptives. However, business people should avoid offending local cultural, social and religious sensitivities. It can be difficult to promote a practice or a product that can interfere with sexual pleasure, can be awkward to use, provides no immediate rewards, and is often associated with distrust and immorality, and whose reliability and effectiveness are often questioned. To be effective, condom promotion must engage people, reach them emotionally, and persuade them that using condoms is important, acceptable, convenient, and the social norm. The advertising of condoms can be especially difficult in conservative societies. The approach in Egypt, where the target is families and the message is family planning, contrasts dramatically with a risque 1998 advertising campaign developed by McCann-Erickson for Durex condoms, targeting young single people and run in Europe. In Egypt, an advertising execution for a condom brand shows a father and mother introducing themselves and their children in a loving way. The message, explained by the parents, is that having only two children, spaced a few years apart, means that one can spend time and attention taking care of them. The advertising of condoms is a very sensitive topic, whether in the context of family planning or preventive health care. In Bahrain, regarded as one of the more liberal Gulf States, the advertising of contraceptives is forbidden. Other products may also be subject to restrictions because of a desire to maintain modesty in the society. For example, a Korean company applied for permission to advertise its underwear product in the Bahrain airport location. The advertising was acceptable only if the words â€Å"Best Cotton Underwear† was removed; which shows the offending text crossed out. Benefits of Condoms Commercials: Several factors proved the importance of condoms advertising: the devastations wrought by HIV/AIDS; the sexual nature of many TV shows; if you see from the public point of view, condoms have an even greater potential in that they can reduce the risk of aids and other STDs, networks are not justifying turning condoms ads down while accepting other contraceptive ads. Following are the main reason why we favored condom commercials: 1) Lack of awareness (especially among sexually active young people) of the effectiveness of condoms in preventing the transmission of HIV/AIDS and some other STIs, as well as pregnancy. ) Promote condom use as fashionable, acceptable and responsible, and as an essential part of HIV/AIDS, sexual health and sex education. 3) Short, 30-60 second radio and television advertising spots can be highly effective in delivering health-related messages. 4) To educate the public to the only product †capable of slowing the spread’’ of acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS. 5) It will reduce the unwanted pregnancy rates Condoms Advertisement in Pakistan In Pakistan, men are the primary reason why family planning is not a priority and contraceptive use is so low. In a country with about 130 million people, only 12 percent of Pakistani women report using a modern contraceptive method, and Pakistan has the highest total fertility rate among the ten most populous countries. Men’s concerns, beliefs, and practices must be addressed; failure to do so will relegate Pakistan, and its women, to continued high birth rates and unnecessary maternal and child deaths. Men must be motivated to act, to be concerned about their family’s and their wife’s health. Only when men act, or at least do not interfere when their wives desire to act, will the situation improves. The widespread social marketing of condoms in Pakistan has been useful in exposing men to modern methods of avoiding unwanted pregnancies. In Pakistan, men dominate all activities outside the household, including shopping. Thus, men see Sathi condoms at local shops, learn from the media or from friends that it is a simple and affordable means of preventing an unwanted pregnancy, and are inspired to purchase it. Sathi can thus be seen as an introduction to modern contraception, with some couples then graduating to more effective or permanent methods. Targeting Men: The overriding dominance of men as decision-makers in Pakistan, and the restrictions on women’s movements outside the home, has fueled the need to target men in national FP campaigns. Condoms, the premier male contraceptive method, have traditionally been promoted to men. As a result, PSI/SMP has tailored its multi-media condom social marketing messages and educational campaigns to appeal to men and address their resistance points. a. Sense of Male Responsibility The objective of these campaigns is to increase a man’s sense of responsibility for family size and for his wife’s reproductive health. An increased sense of male responsibility – combined with appropriate knowledge about the benefits of family planning, messages which motivate action, and clear instructions on where to go for quality FP products and services – should lead to increased contraceptive use. PSI/SMP has used multiple strategies to motivate men to purchase Sathi condoms. b. Providing Relevant and Correct Information to Men Even with female contraceptive methods – such as Green Star IUDs, oral contraceptives (OCs), and injectables – PSI/SMP targets its messages for male as well as female clients. It is critical to get the men on board since they have an important role not only in the decision to purchase contraceptives, but because they are often the ones to buy the products. In some cases, when a woman’s movements are restricted by purdah, for example, her husband will visit the doctor or pharmacist and may be the only source of information on oral contraceptives and their potential side effects. c. Small Family Norm The PSI/SMP television and cinema commercials which promote Green Star hormonal contraceptives and FP clinics prominently feature men. In one scene, a husband is at first reluctant to discuss family planning with his wife, or permit her to visit a Green Star clinic. After a dream sequence, in which the husband is overwhelmed by rowdy, noisy children, he immediately agrees with his wife that there should be an adequate period between births in order to give each child the time and attention she/he deserves. The commercial closes with the couple visiting a Green Star FP clinic together. d. Male Providers While PSI/SMP is engaged in intensive efforts to train female medical practitioners, it will also train thousands of male doctors and pharmacists. Research indicates that men are more likely to go to other men – particularly male doctors and pharmacists – for information about family planning. It is therefore important that these male medical practitioners provide correct information to men, so that misconceptions can be dispelled and men can assist and even motivate their wives to begin practising contraception. e. Inter-spousal Communication PSI/SMP also communicates more generic messages to the public, those which do not promote a specific contraceptive method or brand, but instead aim to change behaviors in ways that encourage family planning practice. For example, television, radio, and other media promote inter-spousal communication, with a husband and wife discussing family planning options. Research in other countries has shown that couples who discuss family planning are more likely to use modern contraceptives than those couples who avoid the subject. f. Girl Child Throughout its communications campaigns, PSI/SMP has strived to improve the status of women in Pakistan through positive and empowering images and messages. In all PSI/SMP advertisements, for example, a couple is shown with only one child – a girl – with the father obviously loving and caring for the girl. By consistently showing a girl child, PSI/SMP hopes that this will decrease Pakistani men’s preference for a male child, and show that girls are equal in value to boys. Improving the status of women in the eyes of men and in the eyes of the society will lead to increased female empowerment, ultimately resulting in women asserting more control over their reproductive health and family size. Since Pakistan is considered an Islamic society, running condoms commercial on air would raise some controversies. People are not ready to accept these commercials. For them watching condoms commercial, discussing sexual issues is a bit embarrassing. Condom commercial motivates people to have sex out of marriage bed and this is what against their traditional values. It is something that is prohibited in Islam. Condoms advertising were aimed to be potentially socially sensitive in the Asian community, particularly which could clash with traditional values, like keeping oneself disinterested and pure, having few desires, respect for tradition, and moderation.