A new fashion-flavored campaign is putting a new spin on the idea of a full-body condom.
To prove how comfortable its proprietary non-latex material really is, condom brand Skyn decided to create a line of athletic wear, and put it to the test.
A smoky, sultry 1:30 ad from Sid Lee Amsterdam features tech-infused clothing designer Pauline von Dongen describing her approach to the project, including dragonfly-wing-inspired flaps on the arms of a shirt, which can supposedly give a long jumper more, um, lift.
In the ensuing montage, her male model—professional Dutch long jumper Joren Tromp—takes off down a long runway in slow motion (get it guys?), demonstrating the outfit's muscle-hugging qualities, while she sensually pours, handles and cuts the synthetic rubber (polyisoprene, to be precise) for its new, more sartorial application.
Eventually, Tromp leaps, hanging mid-air while the spikes on his shirt shoulders flare up, like he's some kind of frill-necked lizard engaged in a mating display—albeit poorly endowed, and even if his sprinting style is somewhat less desirable than the rest of the species.
It's a funny little concept that calls to mind Leslie Nielsen and Priscilla Presley's idea of a responsible approach to protection in the 1988 classic The Naked Gun. While all the holes in the suit probably put it below his standards, it does get points for looking notably better. And by engaging directly with the types of atmospheric fashion tropes that are usually vaguely sexual in their own right, Skyn allows itself to occupy a slightly more metaphorical space than shots of grinding flesh, while still suggesting its product is a uniquely intense full-body experience.
Plus, the marketers working on the campaign are clearly having fun with all the opportunities for double entendres. "We share the universal admiration for competitive athletes' total commitment to what they love," says Jeyan Heper, president and general manager for the sexual wellness global business unit at Ansell, the Australian company that manufactures Skyn under the LifeStyles label. "Their constant search for innovative ways to gain an edge in performance inspires us."
Adds Sid Lee Amsterdam executive creative director Kenn MacRae in the press release accompanying the campaign: "Skyn is always keen to operate at the forefront of innovation. This campaign and product are prime examples of their dedication to superior performance and how they naturally come together."
Because it's best to never miss an opportunity to reinforce your message—especially when your message is fucking.
CREDITS
Client: Skyn
Agency: Sid Lee Amsterdam
Executive Creative Director: Kenn MacRae
Creative Directors: Este Du Plessis, Darren Cronje
Senior Art Director: Sebastian Vizor
Group Account Director: Emma Ryan
Account Director: Grace Kluver
Account Executive: Lisa van Boekhout
Head of Production: Ezra Xenos
Producer: Sylvia Van Elmpt
Strategy: Varia Makagonova, Nicola Davies
Production Company: Czar
Director: Jona Honer
Executive Producer: Karlijn Paardekoper
Producer: Sophie Hendriks
Director of Photography: Tibor Dinglestad
Editor: Xander Nijsten
Music: Paraphrase
Sound: Hein Verhoeven
Grade, Visual Effects: Storm Amsterdam
