Durex Uses Same-Sex Couple in New Ad

Durex photo courtesy of TruthRevolt.org

In the spring, Durex released an ad for "Earth Hour," a campaign to conserve electricity and "take to the bedroom instead," which received a moderate amount of scrutiny for its use of only opposite-sex couples. Durex claimed the exclusion of same-sex couples was unintentional, and soon after launched the "Love Same Sex" campaign to assure consumers of its acceptance of all kinds of relationships.

This week the company took the marketing tactic a step further with a new Facebook ad for its "Massage & Play" gel featuring a lesbian couple in an intimate embrace and the tagline "it all starts with touch."

This is definitely a bold move for Durex, especially in light of recent news that national support for same-sex marriage may be dropping. It could be that Durex is hoping this new promo ad reverses that trend by way of exposure, a founding concept of advertising based in social psychology. Maybe, though, the brand just trying to compete with its number one nemesis, Trojan, which undoubtedly holds a tight grip on its target market through its partnership with MTV.

Whatever the reasoning, this ad is sure to cause a stir among Durex users and nonusers alike. I respect the risk-taking from a marketing standpoint and am eager to see if similar brands will follow suit.

What do you think about Durex developing on this campaign? Share your story below!