NSFW: Durex Campaign Addresses Anal Sex Without Mentioning It To Bypass Ban NSFW
Image via Havas UK
In 2020, anal sex continues to be “taboo.” Creating an ad about it will likely lead to a ban, no butts about it.
Durex’s latest out-of-home campaign is centered on anal sex, but in order to circumvent advertising restrictions, it chose to use a backdoor approach. Its new billboards in the UK address anal sex without explicitly referring to it.
According to the condom brand, people engage in anal sex 56 billion times a year, no matter their sexual orientation. The number should place this type of intercourse as mainstream; instead, it is still shunned as taboo.
“It’s 2020, and we still can’t talk about normal sex here,” the self-proclaimed “mainstream activist” shared in the billboards.
The adverts’ small print encourages curious onlookers to look up “Perfect Gliss,” the name of the brand’s new silicone-based lubricant, which directs them to Durex’s educational online portal on anal sex awareness and advice.
Durex also tapped French sex expert Maïa Mazaurette and illustrator Shreya Gulati to create a “Forgotten Chapter” for the ancient Kama Sutra, as the company noted there were few positive references about anal sex in these guides. The new pages cover five derrière-focused positions, including the ‘Fearless Cowgirl’ and ‘Ride the Tiger’.
Of course, the extra chapter isn’t a closed-door project. It was showcased on Rue de Turenne in Le Marais in Paris back in August to promote uncensored sex. You can soon be able to view the manuscript here.
The campaign was conceptualized by creative agency Havas London and earned media agency One Green Bean, with activation support from Havas Paris.
Elliot Harris, Global Executive Creative Director RB at Havas London, described, “Anal sex is not uncommon, and it’s not abnormal… yet we can’t talk about it on TV, in newspapers, on billboards or even online through social platforms. It’s time to end the stigma around any sex branded as ‘different’ and the negative connotations that implies — and that includes censorship from media owners — to democratize good sex for all.”
One of the positions in Durex’s ‘Forgotten Chapter’ for the Kama Sutra. Image via Havas UK
[via More About Advertising, images via Havas UK]
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