Filed under: Comment
Yes that is a provocative title, but before you start slagging me off as some closet racist, have a look at this ad I saw in Singapore recently …
Forgive me if I’m wrong, but I thought sex was supposed to be fun … passionate … exciting, but one look at this Durex ad and it appears I was wrong and it should be more clinical, soulless and – according to that ad – similar to washing your hands or something.
For a product promoting ‘real feel’, I find it tragic that the way they communicated this benefit was like it was a bloody pharmaceutical ad. Whether that’s because of Singaporean advertising policy, the brand manager of Durex is the most boring person alive or sex with a Singaporean is like doing your taxes is open to question, but it’s pathetic all the same.
To make it worse, PornHub.com, recently did a lovely campaign called ‘Got Wood’.
Basically, for every 100 videos watched [even if they lasted the average 3 minutes – which I’ll leave you to work out why] they would plant a tree.
Cute.
But then Singapore doesn’t let you access PornHub which explains why John, Northern, Andy & Billy don’t live there.
31 Comments so far
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Could be worse, it could be sex with you which would be deadly and boring at the same time. (Sorry for the sick image I’ve just put in all your heads)
Comment by DH May 28, 2014 @ 6:24 amive just fucking been mind raped with that fucking thought. sell your shit, im going to sue the fuck out of you.
Comment by andy@cynic May 28, 2014 @ 6:32 amThanks gents. You do know I read this don’t you?
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 7:49 amDon’t worry Rob, everyone knows you’re not a closet racist. Unlike Tom Cruise, you came out a long time ago.
Comment by DH May 28, 2014 @ 6:26 am[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KZsdOwceYY]
Comment by DH May 28, 2014 @ 6:29 amwhen south park was good.
Comment by andy@cynic May 28, 2014 @ 6:35 amthats another country that will officially fucking hate you. well done singapore, what the fuck took you so long?
Comment by andy@cynic May 28, 2014 @ 6:34 amThe disappointment of sex.
Comment by George May 28, 2014 @ 6:49 amquoting mary again?
Comment by andy@cynic May 28, 2014 @ 6:52 amYou deserved that George. Sorry.
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 7:49 amDurex have worked hard to remove the stigma of sex and condoms so this ad is doubly terrible.
Comment by Pete May 28, 2014 @ 7:03 amThe pornhub campaign was very amusing. A great way to get around any censorship issues.
Comment by Pete May 28, 2014 @ 7:04 amYeah … I love that idea. Not that I’ve ever seen pornhub, oh no, I’m an upstanding citizen of society.
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 7:50 amI’m not going to live in any country that doesn’t let me watch dwarf anal threesomes.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 28, 2014 @ 7:06 amYou win.
Comment by DH May 28, 2014 @ 7:35 amYep, that’s a comment to end all comments.
As well as a comment to attract the attention of the FBI.
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 7:51 amInternational criminal.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 28, 2014 @ 8:05 amInternational pervert.
Comment by DH May 28, 2014 @ 8:09 amAnother well argued, balanced viewpoint from you today Rob.
Comment by Bazza May 28, 2014 @ 8:22 amI should host Newsnight. I know you won’t know what that is, but just know I should.
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 8:29 amIs it just me, or is that headline rubbish?
It’s not just that it talks about a ‘natural’ skin-on-skin feeling, it’s that if you have a skin on skin feeling while wearing a condom, you’re not doing it right. Unless they’re promoting ‘belt and braces’ safe sex.
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 8:32 amyou fucking scare me campbell.
Comment by andy@cynic May 28, 2014 @ 8:40 amYou know that’s basically a massive compliment.
But I’m right aren’t I. Admit it.
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 8:48 amif you think id give you the fucking satisfaction of saying something sensible you know me even fucking less than i know you dont know me.
Comment by andy@cynic May 28, 2014 @ 8:55 amThe first few lines of body copy oozes sex appeal.
Comment by Lee Hill May 28, 2014 @ 8:56 amYes, the art of copy seduction is alive and well.
That is if you’re an accountant.
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 12:50 pmI especially admire the ballsy inclusion of their market research findings in the copy, complete with bar graph.
Because that’s what people really want (look, it says so right here …)
On the other hand, maybe they gave up trying to write an ad and just ran the brief.
Still, the brand manager approved it, so it’s all good.
Comment by Ian Gee May 29, 2014 @ 10:08 amI’ve been to orchard tower (with a client) perhaps this was placed there, the overt clinical cleanliness designed to counteract the deep wrongness
Comment by Northern May 28, 2014 @ 1:03 pmAnyway my senses on these things have been jaded as nothing has made me feel more dirty and wrong as media arts
You should talk to Billy and his youporn preferences then. [See his comment above]
Comment by Rob May 28, 2014 @ 4:57 pmI had already mentally blocked it out
Comment by Northern May 28, 2014 @ 6:29 pm[…] planning honcho Rob Campbell wasn’t a fan of an ad for Durex in Singapore, it seems. On his blog, he […]
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