Condom TV ad rules relaxed as 'raciest commercial ever made' airs

by Nikki Sandison, Brand Republic 26-Mar-09, 09:15

LONDON - Government plans to allow condom ads to air before the 9pm watershed to help combat spiralling teenage pregnancy rates have coincided with the launch of an ad for Skyn condoms, described as possibly the "raciest commercial ever made".

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The ad, created by AMP, Boston and directed by Eileen Doherty and Laura Murphy of the El Segundo-based creative production company Best Company Ever, is about to start airing on MTV after 8pm.

It begins with a shot of a dimly-lit hallway in which a young couple, leaving an apartment party, can barely keep their hands off each other.

The scene cuts to a parked SUV with a couple kissing passionately in the front seat, and then to a third couple on a bed in a messy bedroom with an open closet door partially obscuring the room.

The action unfolds with a series of quick cuts from each couple as clothing is removed and tension builds.

A female voice-over says: "It's like nothing now and like nothing ever before because it's like nothing at all. The Skyn revolution is here and safe sex will never feel the same way again."

The ad airs as proposals by the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice will allow condoms to be advertised on all channels at any time. At present they are banned from advertising before the 9pm watershed except on Channel 4, where the cut-off is 7.30pm.

As well as relaxing the restrictions on condom ads, the Government plans to allow abortion clinics to advertise on TV and radio for the first time.

Pro-life groups have accused the advertising watchdog of showing bias against anti-abortion campaigners in proposing the changes, which they said would increase the number of abortions.

Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe at 42 per 1,000 under-18s, as was recently highlighted with the case of Alfie Patten, who was thought to have become Britain's youngest dad at the age of 12.

Family campaigners have condemned the Government's plans claiming that TV ads for abortion clinics and condoms will inevitably lead to greater promiscuity among young people.

Dr Peter Saunders of the Christian Medical Fellowship told the Daily Mail: "The whole approach of the Government and officialdom creates an atmosphere where it is seen as acceptable for teenagers to indulge in recreational sex without regard to the very serious consequences in terms of physical and emotional health."

Comments

FP - 26/03/2009

Lovely ad .. beautiful cinematography ... pretty people getting it on ... hardly Newcastle on a Saturday night, is it? None of the teenage audience watch TV anyway so why subject the rest of us to this 'important communication' which is stating the bleedin' obvious and will only upset the little'uns? Given that cervical cancer is the disease de jour, shouldn't someone be putting out a message that the two major lifestyle causes are smoking and early sex with multiple partners? That should put them off, surely.

TESS ALPS - 26/03/2009

Here we go again. FP, IPA Touchpoints2 data states that 15-24s spend 47% of their media time watching broadcast TV, way ahead of any other medium. Why do you think they all want to be on X-Factor?

FP - 26/03/2009

Oooooh you are good ...

John Gallen - 26/03/2009

As for the cervical cancer comment... yes, it is important for women, and their caring partners to be aware, but did you know \(and 90% of women don't !!) that heart disease kills TEN TIMES more women than cervical cancel every year in the UK and Ireland. "Disease de Jour".... shocking that we have them thrust into our consciousness in such a way really. I'm trying to make a point here but as I don't work in PR I don't know how to do it subtly enough \(and in few words) without p***ing someone off who knows someone going through a Jade Goodie type situation.

FP - 26/03/2009

At the risk of going off at a tangent, I've just been looking on The Sun website and apparently the story of little Alfie not being a dad after all has yet to reach them, or if it has, I can't find it. The Mirror has got hold of it somehow, but then they didn't pay Alfie's parents a shed load for the story claiming it to be in the public interest. Curious, eh?

Gordon Macmillan - 26/03/2009

@FT Worth mentioning, I'd day. After all the Sun featured a very disturbingly frame pic of the small boy with the girl towering over him. No surprise they've buried this one.

Jude Nicholls - 26/03/2009

Here we go again - it's pretty futile to expect us to trust the quoted "data" when it's followed by a generalised claim that all 15-24's want to go on X Factor. No they don't, a minority do. And MTV is hardly reaching the audience numbers of all broadcast TV anyway.

Rebekka Warnes-Studd - 26/03/2009

I think anything that get young people considering their sexual health is a great move, my only concern is it being shown before the watershed. Surely it's there to protect young children, will it really do any good showing it before 9pm. I mean if they are having sex do you think the 11-19 age group that you expect it to be aimed at are really going to bed before 9? Young children don't need to see this.

John Gallen - 26/03/2009

Returning to the point - as my earlier comment purposefully missed it, to comment on another comment - I believe that having viewed the advert I see nothing in it to deter kids from unprotected sex at all. It was glamorous, raunchy, sexy \(purposefully alluring to the thought of 'did I see a naked sexy female bum?' in the first few frames) and downright cool to any inquisitive teenager. It's a brand of condom called 'Lifestyle' yet nowhere in the advert do you see this lifestyle pause to put a condom on. If anything this ad PROMOTES casual and irresponsible sex and does nothing for the use of condoms. I am no puritan. Just don't sell me a pork-pie and tell me its vegetarian !!