Fox and CBS Reject Condom Ad Supposedly Because Of Contraceptive Message
By Tom Miller. Posted on .
From New York Times
By Andrew Adam Newman
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IN a commercial for Trojan condoms that has its premiere tonight, women in a bar are surrounded by anthropomorphized, cellphone-toting pigs. One shuffles to the men’s room, where, after procuring a condom from a vending machine, he is transformed into a head-turner in his 20s. When he returns to the bar, a fetching blond who had been indifferent now smiles at him invitingly.
Directed by Phil Joanou (“State of Grace”), with special effects by the Stan Winston Studio (“Jurassic Park”), the commercial is entertaining. But it also has a message, spelled out at the end: “Evolve. Use a condom every time.”
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“We have to change the perception that carrying a condom for women or men is a sign they’re on the prowl and just want to have sex,” said Linda Kaplan Thaler, chief executive of the Kaplan Thaler Group, the New York advertising agency that created the “Evolve” campaign. “It’s a sign of somebody being prepared — if the opportunity arises — to think about their own health and the health and safety of their partner.”
Tango’s Take
It’s pretty incredible that Fox, of all networks, refused to run an ad because the product is intended for pregnancy prevention. We understand that the FCC is in shambles and no on knows what to expect (Bono can say ‘fuck’ but Janet Jackson needs to keep her top on). But how can the network that brought us Temptation Island (and many other sex-tastic programs) object to contraception? Is it OK that the implied humping was going on without birth control? Maybe Fox is generally against birth control. A running theme on the Simpsons is that two of the three children were unplanned and they love them nonetheless. And Bill O’Reilly. A girl could get pregnant just by looking at that guy. It’s strange that according to some standards violence is better than sex and disease prevention is more of a consideration than birth control for condom use. And it’s not like they’re worried about the association. They’re not hawking anti-Herpes medication. It’s not like you think of Fox when you think of Herpes.
