• by Erik Sass  @eriksass1, July 13, 2012

Leading U.S. condom-makers are stepping up their marketing efforts in a fierce battle for market share. Campaigns from Trojan, Durex and LifeStyles launched efforts that include innovative social media and experiential marketing events.
 
Trojan is boosting brand awareness through a partnership with Healthguru.com, sponsoring an interactive video series dealing with questions about sex and sexual health. The Q&A platform allows users to engage directly with a panel of sexual health experts, including Dr. Logan Levkoff, Dr. Harry Fisch and Dr. Isabel Blumberg.

To date, Healthguru.com has built a library of videos addressing roughly 100 “real-user” questions, most of which deal with sex and safe-sex strategies, according to MediaPost’s Gavin O’Malley.
 
Through syndication partnerships with various publisher partners, along with a strong presence on YouTube, Healthguru currently claims to reach nearly 10 million unique viewers, viewing over 50 million videos a month.

Durex has introduced a new Facebook app to help couples “sync up” their lovemaking by choosing the right song. Playing on the tagline for the new Performax condom brand -- which is designed “to speed her up and slow him down” -- the Facebook app asks couples to answer questions about their technique in order to choose the perfect mood music. Durex has also partnered with celebrity spokescouple Ice T and Coco, who hosted a Facebook event and Twitter party that generated around four million impressions.

LifeStyles is looking to raise its profile through a partnership with Identity, a touring electronic music festival. LifeStyles will provide samples to promote its non-latex Skyn condoms, and is also promoting its new Zero Ultra Thin condoms -- the first public appearance for the new product line. The partnership will extend over 15 tour dates, where LifeStyles plans to distribute 75,000 sample condoms, beginning July 19 in Cincinnati. LifeStyles will also host ticket giveaways through its Twitter and Facebook pages.
 
The AIDS Healthcare Foundation is promoting condom use in general with its “Condom Nation” campaign, sending an 18-wheel big rig around the U.S. to visit various cities and dispense free condoms. AHF hopes to give away 10 million free condoms in 25 states over the course of the six-month tour.