CBS & FOX: Peddle Sex, But Ban Condom Ads - L.A. Protest Monday, says AHF

CBS & FOX: Peddle Sex, But Ban Condom Ads - L.A. Protest Monday, says AHF

Protesters - Including Two Live Pigs Called Rupert & Sumner - Will March & Picket CBS & FOX Networks at CBS's Television City in Hollywood

Networks, Home to Some of the Raciest Programming & Ads on Network Television, Both Rejected Recent Bid to Air Trojan's 'Evolve' Condom TV Commercial

What: Protest & Press Event - CBS & FOX Ban Condom Ad from Airwaves

When: Monday, July 9th 10:00am

Where: in front of CBS-Television City 7800 Beverly Blvd., (cross street: Fairfax) Los Angeles CA 90036

B-Roll Elements-Protester, Including Two Live Pigs called Rupert & Sumner, Will March Carrying Protest Placards & Oversize Condoms

LOS ANGELES, July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF), which operates the largest community-based alternative HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing program in California, conducting more that 15,000 tests annually, will spearhead a protest and press event Monday, July 9th, 2007 at 10:00 am in front of CBS Television's flagship Los Angeles studio compound-CBS Television City-(7800 Beverly Blvd., at Fairfax, Los Angeles, 90036) to denounce recent decisions by both CBS and FOX Television Network executives to refuse to broadcast a recent television advertisement for condoms.

In mid-June, the makers of Trojan brand condoms and its ad agency unveiled an innovative and humorous new campaign for the condom brand. As part of Trojan's 'Evolve' ad campaign, which features anthropomorphized, people-sized pigs, television airtime was purchased on each of the four major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC & FOX) as well as nine cable networks including MTV and Comedy Central. However, both the CBS and FOX Networks-each home to some of the raciest programming and advertising on network television-rejected the ad outright and refused to sell the company any airtime for the spots. A June 18, 2007 New York Times story on the networks' rejection of the ad noted that, " ... Fox said that it had rejected the spot because, "Contraceptive advertising must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy." In its rejection, CBS wrote, "while we understand and appreciate the humor of this creative, we do not find it appropriate for our network even with late-night-only restrictions."

According to the Times, both networks had accepted Trojan's previous advertising campaign, which urged condom use because of the possibility that a partner might be HIV-positive, perhaps unknowingly.

The current commercial features a bar full of women-and pigs. After one pig goes to the restroom and returns with a condom purchased at a vending machine, he is suddenly transformed into an attractive man. The end of the commercial carries the message: "Evolve: Use a condom every time." In the commercial, the word "Trojan" is never uttered, and the logo appears only briefly on the bathroom's vending machine and at the end of the spot.

"The rejection of this condom ad by both CBS and FOX is the height of hypocrisy given the amount of sex each of these networks peddles in their entertainment program lineups," said Michael Weinstein, President of AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "On any given day or night, Viagra and other erectile dysfunction ads also run regularly on these networks-there seems to be no squeamishness about FOX and CBS airing shows or selling commercial time to promote sex. However, these networks now draw the line when Trojan tries to promote its condoms as a means toward safer sex-including the prevention of STDs and unwanted pregnancies. We strongly urge the advertising 'suits' at both of these networks to do what this ad encourages-'evolve'-and reconsider their misguided ban on this commercial."

"These network executives showed their true sexist selves by rejecting this ad, with one network even saying that contraceptive advertising on television must stress health-related uses rather than the prevention of pregnancy, as FOX told the New York Times in an official statement regarding their rejection of the ad," said Whitney Engeran, III, Director of Prevention for AIDS Healthcare Foundation. "Well I've got news for the executives at the so-called 'fair and balanced' network: preventing an unintended pregnancy is as much of public health issue as preventing the transmission of a sexually transmitted disease, and to imply otherwise is simply wrong-are they telling us with this ban they don't want to protect women's health?"

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the US' largest HIV/AIDS healthcare and prevention and education provider, operates free AIDS treatment clinics in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia. AHF also operates the largest community-based alternative HIV and STD testing program in California, conducting more that 15,000 tests annually. For more information, www.aidshealth.org

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

CONTACT: Ged Kenslea, Communications Director, +1-323-860-5225, or
mobile +1-323-791-5526, or Lori Yeghiayan, AHF Associate Director of
Communications Director, +1-323-860-5227 w, or +1-323-377-4312 m

Web site:

http://www.aidshealth.org/

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