International Condom Day is celebrated to increase awareness on the use of condom as a contraceptive for safe sex. The day is celebrated every year a day just ahead of Valentine's Day to promote safe sex and control the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Now talking about condom advertising, it is a very tricky area and brands in this space across the world are still struggling to target their consumers.

When the word sex is considered a taboo in many societies imagine how difficult it must be for the advertising agencies and condom brands to develop their brief around the product. Talking about India which boasts of being the second-most populous country after China and the third largest when it comes to the population with HIV, here condom ads are banned during the prime slot from 6 am to 10 pm. Sunny Leone's Manforce Condom Video Ad Still Gets Day Time Slot! Does Government Need to Come Clear With Guidelines on Condom Advertising?

In 2018, the government strictly asked TV channels not to air advertisements selling and promoting condoms from 6 am to 10 pm, because they are not only 'indecent', but because it promoted 'unhealthy practices'. After receiving severe backlash from the common people, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) issued a clarification later on their stand saying, 'sexually explicit' condom ads are to be banned, and those that don't fall under the category can continue to air even during the watershed timing.

On the occasion of International Condom Day 2020, LatestLY has curated a list of six innovative condom ads across the world which you can spot on the internet, some of which have been even banned on television.

Durex- Do the Rex With Ranveer Singh

Lelo Hex With Charlie Sheen

Hansaplast Condoms

Aides

Four Season Condoms: Get Naked

Trojan Condoms: When Pigs Fly

The internet today allows brands in this category to try different things, but this also comes with a limitation. People today get offended at the drop of their hats and trolls are always waiting to attack a brand. Social media today has the power to make and break a brand. Keeping this mind, most brands in this space are therefore playing it safe and they fear to get experimentative with their content.  Here's hoping condom brands in this space can get to try out different things, without hurting the sentiments of people.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 13, 2020 10:02 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).