Instead, critics argued, the American public began to consider condoms as an alternative to unprotected sex.Ĭondoms had existed since at least the sixteenth century, but even into the 1990s they were not thought to be a suitable topic for open conversation or for television commercials. Ad critics praised ‘‘Trojan Man’’ for reshaping attitudes that once held condom commercials to be catalysts for promiscuity. Hoping to appease networks that would in turn grant Trojan more airtime, Church & Dwight stopped using ‘‘Trojan Man’’ in favor of a more reverent campaign titled ‘‘Make a Difference.’’ Trojan condoms accounted for 74 percent of the condom market by 2004, far surpassing the 50 percent market share it held in 1998. (the maker of Arm & Hammer baking soda) in 2001, similarly themed print, radio, Internet, and television advertisements featuring the horse-riding Trojan Man appeared until 2005. After Carter Products sold its Trojan brand to Church & Dwight Co. Trusted for over 80 years.’’ The ‘‘Trojan Man’’ campaign began as a brandenhancing endeavor, but in 1997 Carter Products geared it toward the introduction of new condom products. The spots ended with the tagline ‘‘Trojan. In the commercials a superhero-like spokesperson known as Trojan Man showed up during intimate moments between couples or friends to offer Trojan condoms. The campaign was financed with Carter Products’ estimated $7 million annual advertising budget. Hoping to make using condoms ‘‘cool’’ and eventually increase sales, Carter Products released its ‘‘Trojan Man’’ campaign.Ĭreated by Carter Products’ longtime ad agency, Bates USA, Inc., the ‘‘Trojan Man’’ campaign started with radio commercials in 1996 and expanded into the television arena in 1998. Public discussion of condoms had been discouraged because the subjects of sex and contraceptionwere considered taboo, but Carter Products believed a lighthearted advertising touch would break through these barriers and make condoms accessible and acceptable. Carter Products hoped to regain customers and to attract new consumers for its Trojan brand with a humorous marketing approach.
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Although the condom industry had enjoyed an increase in profits in the late 1980s and early 1990s, by the mid-1990s growth had stagnated. Until 2001 Carter Products Division, a division of Carter-Wallace, Inc., owned the world’s largest condom brand, Trojan.