As many of you might know, it was World AIDS Day a couple of days ago. Ever since its inception in 1988, the day has been regularly commemorated every year to unite the world in its fight against AIDS and remember people who have lost their lives to AIDS-related illnesses.
You’re probably thinking about what could be possibly funny about AIDS. You’re right; there could be nothing funny about a disease that has claimed over 40.1 million lives so far. And therefore, it is important to spread as much awareness as one can about this chronic disease and make people understand how they can mitigate the risk of contracting it. To that end, condom-manufacturing companies need to step up their game by not presenting condoms as merely a shield against unwanted pregnancies but also portraying them as a viable counter to HIV.
Thankfully, some condom brands have been doing a great job by running ad campaigns that aren’t only creating greater awareness about this disease but also leveraging humor to make these campaigns insanely funny and thoroughly engaging.
So, here we are with 5 hilarious condom ads in yet another #FunnyFridays segment that will not just crack you up but also inspire you to use a condom while you’re having the “time of your life”😜
Please note that I have purposefully steered away from including condom ads that showed them as a means to avoid pregnancies or enjoy better sex. I mean it’s World AIDS Day guys; let’s stick to the theme.
So, let’s get started!
1. NACAIDS: Grim Reaper Ad
This memorable AIDS public service ad was probably the first commercial to depict AIDS through the Grim Reaper, the harbinger of death. The reason why I love this ad is that it is unintentionally funny.
The sight of men and women being rolled down like bowling pins and the rather eerie background score didn’t pan out the way the makers probably wanted it to. Also, the message didn’t land exactly how it was supposed to as some people began associating the figure of death with gay men instead of the disease itself. Nevertheless, the ad was funny and drove home the message of always ensuring safe sex through the use of condoms.
2. Olla: Be Good at Putting It On
Short, crisp, and damn effective- that’s how I would describe this 30-second advert by Olla.
Although the ad never mentions AIDS, the image of the man unhooking the bras of different women for the first 24 seconds clearly says that if you choose to engage in sex with multiple people, condoms are your best friend. Quite impactful. But what’s funny? Well, despite knowing that it’s a condom ad since I was doing research for this blog, I was left wondering if the ad is about bras. It was only after the mindblowing punchline at the end that I understood what they were actually trying to do. That’s some creativity, fellas!
3. Tulipán: Shut up and Sleep with Me
Tulipán has never shied away from producing offbeat and humorous adverts and this commercial is no exception.
The ad shows a young lad playing with barbie dolls. When his father sees this, he gives him toy soldiers to play with. The kid shows little to no interest in these new toys and is seen sleeping with his barbie dolls; thereby, making us all wonder if he is effeminate. As things turn out, the kid continues the habit of sleeping with barbie dolls into his adolescence too, except that those barbie dolls are now replaced by real girls. On the contrary, his father seems to have developed a taste for men.
Just when you begin to feel that it is yet another caricaturistic portrayal of homosexuals, the brand flashes the message that you’re free to choose whosoever you want- as long as you choose Tulipán, of course!
4. Terrence Higgins Trust: Judging Boys by Their Covers
Honestly, I had no idea that not wearing a pair of socks or leaving my golf kit or ink-pen uncovered would have such an impact on anybody's sex life.
The ad shows a woman checking out men and getting miffed at their tendency to leave their belongings uncovered. She finally comes across a boy at the bakery store and is swept off the floor when he covers the bread in a paper wrap while he is handing it over to her. Seriously, wasn’t it expected of him? Apparently, the lady is so head over heels for the guy that she wastes no time in planting a full-blown kiss on his lips.
Wow, is that all it takes to get a woman to desire you- a cover?
5. Durex: Protect Yourself
All right, this one’s slightly tricky, tbh! Throughout the ad, we see kids wreaking havoc in the lives of fathers and one begins to think about whether it is really about HIV awareness or a direct message of avoiding kids to protect oneself from any injury.
But think again! Why do all these kids injure the men only in their crotch? I think the ad is open to interpretation and could be intended to present condoms as a remedy for both unwanted pregnancies as well as HIV. Like the NACAIDS ad above, this one also seems to be unintentionally funny with the kids doing everything on earth to destroy the manhoods of the men featured in the ad. I mean who are these kids? Fu**ing devils?
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of yet another #FunnyFriday segment. AIDS is a life-threatening disease with a fatality rate of almost 50% among infected patients. Fortunately, some condom brands have left no stone unturned to spread maximum awareness about this disease. And the use of humor in ad campaigns will go a long way in getting maximum traction from the audiences.
We’ll be back with more awesome videos for you. Till then, stay tuned!