94 years ago, liar H.K. McCann launched his NYC ad agency with the slogan "Truth Well Told." That was a big fat lie. Advertising copywriter Copyranter brings you instances of advertising lies and the lying liars who sell them.

Shocking admission time: I have used condoms. How did I learn about this non-babymaking coupling accoutrement? Not through condom advertising. Maybe next century! Our lack of condom ads is just another reason for Europeans to point and snicker at us. Let's open our American eyes to some of those oh-so-racy international condom ads. Maybe we'll learn something!

First, a little background. This week's AdAge reports on the TV networks' continued unwillingness to run condom ads, despite the ever-increasing number of sex acts portrayed during programming. Two of the four major networks rejected a silly but harmless "don't be a pig" Trojan spot. In a written response to Trojan, Fox gave this reasoning: "Contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy." How self-contradictory! And also incorrect, as the Trojan commercial certainly doesn't stress birth control.

Well, Fox, here's a commercial (via the Swiss Federal Office of Public Health) that certainly stresses a health issue, albeit using naked fencers and hockey players. It's not safe for work. Or America!

Touché! And this from the long-time world leader in Staying Out Of Things. I'm pretty sure though that it's impossible to contract an STD during a naked superbike race.

On to a couple of downright dirty Durex print executions out of Singapore that stress neither health-related issues nor pregnancy prevention. They stress doing it: It's a balloon animal sex show from Pervy the Clown! Jeez, check out that "scissors" position, below right. Now that's a bottom. Careful not to pop him!



Meanwhile back at home, at least according to the T.V., everybody must be using the Rhythm Method.

Previously: Is It Too Soon To Use The Burning Twin Towers In Ads?

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