Brazil's Passion for Football Condoms

Football, one of the things Brazilians are most passionate about, has finally reached the world of condoms. A new line of condoms that depicts the logos of the most important Brazilian teams went on sale in February and has already become a commercial success.

One of its avenues to success has been TV advertising in which supporters wear caps with their teams' colors in the shape of a condom. "We are using a different strategy to enter this market, which is a very static one here in Brazil," said Renato Marson, general manager for the Dharman group, which owns the brand. "We combined condoms and football, and by doing so managed to attract young consumers, who were not previously in the habit of practicing safe sex on a regular basis. And the strategy worked," Marson said.

The Ministry of Health is happy with the success of the campaign. Over 300 million condoms are sold per year in Brazil. Another 200 million are given away as part of the family planning programs and initiatives aimed at preventing the spread of STDs.

According to Marson, condoms are being sold in places not normally associated with this kind of product, like newsstands and bakeries. Not surprisingly, the teams with the largest numbers of supporters are the top sellers.

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