Trojan asks consumers to slide into its Twitter DMs

Brief:

Trojan, the brand of condoms marketed by Church & Dwight, launched a social media campaign that urges people to make the best of being quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Its "Sexplore At Home Wide Confidence" campaign urges people to avoid the temptation to go outside when they could enjoy "self-love" instead, per an announcement shared with Mobile Marketer.
As part of the campaign, Trojan is offering either a free sample of personal lubricant or a sex toy to Twitter users who send a direct message with the eggplant emoji to its @TrojanCondoms account. Winners will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.
Trojan also is sponsoring a "Self-Love Playlist" on Spotify for people to stream while they're stuck at home. The brand is asking people to provide suggestions on songs to add to the playlist, per its announcement.

Insight:

Trojan's campaign provides a coy take on the recommendations of public health officials who have urged people to isolate themselves as much as possible to suppress the spread of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the novel coronavirus. Instead of giving away condoms that make up its key product line, Trojan is offering other branded products that people can use while they're alone. Its "Self-Love Playlist" on Spotify reinforces that message as the consumption of digital media rises during the pandemic.

Trojan's campaign takes a different tack than recent promotional efforts from rivals like Skyn, the condom brand marketed by Lifestyles Healthcare. Skyn's messaging also supports the idea of social distancing, but emphasizes how people can spend their time together in isolation. Playing upon the trending hashtags #staythefhome and #staythef***home, Skyn's campaign urged social media users to "Stay and F*** at home."

Trojan and Skyn's marketing efforts during the pandemic arrive amid news reports of a possible worldwide condom shortage. The coronavirus outbreak last month led Malaysia to impose a temporary lockdown on factories, including the world's biggest maker of condoms, Reuters reported. Trojan last week posted a message to its Instagram account to reassure customers that its products are still on store shelves.