Philadelphia's Wrapper Design Contest Aims to Promote Use of Condoms

Health officials in Philadelphia are holding an open contest to choose a graphic that will be printed on the wrappers of condoms distributed during a citywide prevention campaign. Compared with other Pennsylvanians, city residents are about five times more likely to have chlamydia, six times more likely to have gonorrhea and 40 times more likely to have syphilis, according to the city health department.

The contest is modeled after one in New York City, which began offering its own themed condoms in 2007 and held its first condom-wrapper design contest last year. More than 600 entries were submitted, and 15,000 votes were cast.

"What we are always trying to do is be creative about keeping condoms on people's mind so when they need them they put them on their bodies," said Monica Sweeney, assistant commissioner for New York City's Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control. New York distributes more than 41 million free condoms annually.

Philadelphia's design contest began in November and runs through Jan. 14. About a dozen designs have been submitted so far, said Carol Johnson, director of the city Department of Public Health's Division of Disease Control, which is the contest sponsor. Some entries show the city skyline, while others are text-based.

Philadelphia distributes about 1 million free condoms every year to health clinics, schools and other venues. Next year, the city aims to double that number with the help of a $10,000 CDC grant.

"We're trying to push the prevention message," Johnson said. "We're looking for something bold to help promote the use of condoms." Submissions should have a "unique and positive message," she added. The artist of the winning design gets $250.

For more information, visit www.condoms.stdphilly.org.

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