NEW YORK – Trojan Condoms has introduced a web-based campaign to encourage safer sex practices in teens and young adults. Dubbed "Evolve One, Evolve All," the push leans heavily on content created in conjunction with upcoming artists and musicians that can be embedded and shared across the internet.
Attempting to market its products for the prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, Trojan has run into two problems with conventional media: many outlets won't run their commercials, and the target audience is increasingly spending time online. As such, the Evolve campaign is Trojan's largest internet endeavor yet, replete with placements on MTV Network properties, the VideoEgg ad network, and Facebook.
Evolve's dedicated web destination offers original content and allows users to upload their own video messages. Texas rapper Shanka D-Russ addresses safe-sex issues in the song "Be a Trojan Man" (sample lyric: "Caught up in the moment/Keep it covered, my brother"), while filmmaker Frankie Nasso created a comedy short about one guy's apparent dislike for condoms. Celebrities like musicians The Academy Is and Shwayze and actors Josh Lucas, Alan Cumming, and Dana Delaney have recorded PSAs for the Evolve campaign. The site also offers a safe-sex quiz and allows users to take a pledge against risky bedroom behavior.
In offering content that can be distributed via social networking destinations and video-sharing sites like YouTube, Trojan hopes that, instead of its message being disregarded as just another commercial in an oversaturated society, the safer-sex gospel will spread from friend to friend. While the campaign's initial success will be measured by web metrics, Lambert says Trojan eventually hopes to see a shift in attitude. "We created an environment where we can stimulate conversation and engagement," says Craig Lambert, the chief digital officer of Trojan's lead agency Colangelo. "They're more likely to do the right thing."
Source: AdWeek
