Condoms, much like beer, are the purview of both gay and straight. When selling to the hetero populous, all manufacturers have to do is remind them how awful children can be. As far as marketing to the gays, the things ought to sell themselves (AIDS, anyone?), but condom sellers, particularly outside the U.S. have occasionally made advertisements specifically aimed at us. After the jump we take a look at a few examples, as well as a couple new print ads aimed at American audiences.
We start with the ad to the right, which we caught via Queerty and which appears to feature a gay gymnast painted blue, with a peacock's tail feathers, and the copy says, "Strut your stuff. Shake your tail feathers with Lifestyles brand condoms... It's showtime!" Though not explicitly gay, do we even need to make an argument that they're pandering to the gays? So. Fucking. Gay. (click to enlarge)
The only other gay-themed print ad for a condom brand that we could find (which wasn't sponsored by an AIDS organization) was this one at left, for Durex, which was produced alongside two other ads featuring heterosexual condom-people (we know because the "female" is depicted with a pink condom, and with breasts). For all we know, none of these ever appeared in a U.S. publication.
This television spot comes from New Zealand, and is set to a hip-hop tune called "Rubba Rubba." The commercial aired in both hetero and homo varieties, with just that last kissing bit swapped out. We love how they say "six" and "protiction."
In this Danish spec ad (made by a student and may never have aired on television), the tagline "shit happens" is used to suggest, um, that you can AIDS? Or poop on your dick? Anyway, it's sort of gross.
The British have always liked a good gay joke, and this ad, which touts "fruit-flavoured condoms, free with this weeks Humo," features a gay twist at the end. Get it? Get it?
Compare those to this hetero ad from Trojan's "Evolve" campaign, which was allegedly "banned" from somewhere. All we have to say is, they might have easily produced a gay version of this too. All men are pigs, regardless.
