Trojan^® Brand Condoms Launches "Evolve" Campaign To Help Move America
Toward Sexual Health

Effort to Spark Discussion, Change Behavior, and Challenge Outdated Attitudes About Condom Use and Sexual Health that Contribute to High Rates of Unintended Pregnancy and STIs

PRINCETON, NJ · June 18, 2007 /PRNewswire/ — TROJAN^®, America's No. 1 brand of condoms, has launched an advertising and public information campaign to reframe people's perceptions about using condoms and start a much-needed dialogue about sexual health in America.

The United States has the highest rates of unintended pregnancy (three million per year¹) and sexually transmitted infections (19 million per year²) of any Western nation.³ "For all of our terrific medical and information resources, America is simply not a sexually healthy country," said Martha Kempner, vice president for information and communications at the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS).

The campaign, titled "Evolve," will debut June 18 on television, on the Web, in print, and in special events around the country. It includes television ads that use animated images of pigs to humorously represent self-centered, immature, and thoughtless behavior. The "hero" transforms from a pig to a man when he demonstrates responsibility by choosing to use condoms.

This powerful imagery is meant to capture consumers' attention and get them thinking and talking about worthiness, self-care, trust and condom use as keys to sexual health. The ads also send the message that sharing in the decision to use condoms puts men and women on more equal terms for pleasure and responsibility.

"Evolve is a wake-up call to change attitudes about using condoms and, on a larger scale, the way we think and talk about sexual health in this country," said Jim Daniels, vice president of marketing for TROJAN^®. "Other than abstinence, the best way people can prevent unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection is to use a condom every time they have sex. Unfortunately, that's just not happening today—single sexually-active Americans between the ages of 18 and 54 use them only about 25 percent of the time.⁴ We urgently need to foster healthier attitudes about sexual health and condom use."

The campaign's premise is simple but powerful: People who are sexually active should take steps to protect and respect each other, and using condoms is an important part of this approach.

"A change in behavior takes a change in attitude," said Dr. Drew Pinsky, board-certified physician and host of the nationally syndicated radio program Loveline. "The Evolve campaign effectively argues that condoms are a positive symbol of respect for ourselves and our partners as well as a critical component of sexual health and enjoyment—and that not using condoms can bring a dangerous outcome to an otherwise special connection."

The Evolve advertising campaign was created by the Kaplan Thaler Group, Ltd. "The humor in the advertising spots is our way of getting consumers' attention and opening up a serious conversation about sexually healthy lifestyles," said Linda Kaplan Thaler, CEO and chief creative officer. "Some people may be initially surprised by the imagery, but we're really using the pigs as a metaphor for selfish behavior to call to attention a very important subject."

About TROJAN^®

TROJAN^® Brand Condoms are America's #1 condom and have been trusted for nearly 90 years. TROJAN^® brand latex condoms are made from premium quality latex to help reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. Each condom is electronically tested to help ensure reliability. There are over 29 varieties of TROJAN^® Brand Condoms. More Americans trust the TROJAN^® brand than any other condom.

¹ Finer LF, Henshaw SK. Disparities in Rates of Unintended Pregnancy in the United States, 1994 and 2001. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2006, 38(2):90-96. Available at: http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/psrh/full/3809006.pdf.
² Trends in Reportable Sexually Transmitted Diseases in the United States, 2005. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed at http://www.cdc.gov/std/stats/05pdf/trends-2005.pdf.
³ Lottes IL. Sexual health policies in other industrialized countries: are there lessons for the United States?
J Sex Res. 2002 Feb;39(1):79-83.
⁴ Research Triangle Institute, 2002; data on file.