How Marketing Does Birth Control

I'd like to say that for-profit companies that market products seem to know a lot more than governments and not-for-profit organizations about what gets people to do something new (like purchase a product).

But what is all of that marketing research being used for? If you put it all together in one loop and add in the hysterical commentary of Sarah Haskins, all of this careful targeting and messaging all seems...silly. Target Women takes on Birth Control.

If you were a smoker, would this get you to quit?

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has a series of e-Cards where well-meaning friends and family can send not so subtle notes to push healthy behavior such as quitting smoking.

What if you were a smoker? Does a woman jumping in a field make you want to stop smoking? Perhaps not, but perhaps knowing (as the inside of the card says) that half of ALL adult smokers in the US have already quit may give you pause. If so many people have been able to quit, it is possible to successfully quit if you try.

Scores:

Picture: C. The Photo looks like an ad for a feminine product. Message: B- If people perceive that the norm is to quit, they are more likely to take serious steps to quitting.

Why I Hate the Durex Balloon Animal Ad

The Durex Balloon Animal ad has been blazing through social circles faster than Herpes through Derek Jeter's little black book. (at least, that is what some gossip blogs have been saying).

The ad is cute and a fun little thing to pass on to friends for a joke, but does it make people more likely to USE condoms when they have sex?

Yes and no. Like with most marketing campaigns, you have to imagine the target group they are trying to reach and imagine how they would process seeing the same video.

Yes- What we have seen in condom use research is that consistent condom-users are more likely to report they bought condoms than non-condom users. This may overwhelm you with obviousness, but simple sense dictates is that if you have condoms with you, you are more likely to use them than if you didn't have them. If someone already uses condoms quite often, but not always, this ad may remind him or her to stop by to pick some up before a date.

No- think about people you know who do not use condoms (ever or only rarely). I've give you a picture that comes into my head: a semi-religious young woman who feels uncomfortable carrying or buying condoms because she associates having condoms with "sluts". This playful video may actually reinforce her association between condoms and being slutty and she'll be even more reticent to purchase (and therefore use) condoms.

I must admit that I am also annoyed by the rubbery-squeaking sound. If only they used water-based or silicone-based lubricant, they could have gone to town and protect themselves further from the latex breaking and reduce that annoying sound.

I'd advise people who click on this to see the Durex video (and outtakes) be 18 and older.