Gambling, CBD, esports and gaming, hard liquor. All those branding opportunities that were once off-limits for the sports and entertainment media world are now OK. And of course let’s not forget about the millions spent on ED medications that appear during every football and basketball game, as well as golf and tennis, on every screen we have.
Vice is nice for spending. Or at least what used to be vice.
But why not condoms, or other products that promote safe sex or the ability to control and limit STD’s. Slowly maybe, especially in the digital space, things are changing with more and more toe dips and more and more creative and somewhat lighthearted campaigns.
On the broadcast side, the options are still limited, but there were a few Trojan condom ads that ran in regional markets after 10 pm (ads are still only allowed after 10 pm and before six am on broadcast TV, as this is out of the Standards and Practices window the FCC has set up when it is thought less people under the age of 17 would be watching) during the NBA Finals. They were quick, and little was written about them (can’t even find a link) but they were there. Trojan has also done viral campaigns around blocked shots during March Madness for several years, and other brands have done late night and pay per view spends around boxing and MMA for years.
However for mainstream awareness in the U.S., partnerships are almost nil thus far, which is a bit of a head scratcher.
Now for PRIDE Festivals the street activation Trojan for one is both funny and over the top for mainstream, rolling out their #PrideinMine cone campaign, but it does draw eyeballs and enforces what the brand is about. It certainly would not fly in some geographic areas, and probably won’t make it on to many wide screens in news, but the ability to reach a wide social audience should make it an interesting play.
Now condom and safe sex awareness always seems to rise and be OK around the Olympics for some reason, and every two years companies pitch stories on size, color and use of condoms for safe sex during the games. But for the impact mainstream sports can have? Not much yet.
Will athletes with their own platforms look to be more engaged in telling positive stories around prevention of STD’s and unwanted pregnancy? The pharma companies certainly have the dollars to spend and activate. However the stigma, even if it is not there for CBD or for liquor, or heck even for Cialis or Viagra, is still there for the condom industry.
How soon will that change? Hard to say. However cause marketing continues to grow in stature and value, but the condom industry remains limited in scope of traditional voice. Some changes, even with good reason, are still slow, but then again so were other off-limits areas just a few months ago.
Another disruptive area to watch as the social sphere, and the cause side with athlete’s voices, keep rising.
