CE: Condoms in Congo

     First off, I'd like to mention that this TED segment in comparison to others is a bit lackluster and disappointing. Amy Lockwood, the woman presenting this lecture, is a reformed marketer. That might explain why she seems to be trying to SELL her lecture instead of presenting it. Her presentation comes off too staged and it appears as if she memorized and rehearsed her speech in the mirror. However poor her performance, the fundamental message is clearly in-tact.
      Basically she address the issue of why people in Congo do not take advantage of the free condoms, being that there is a large population of HIV infected people in the area. She makes a valid argument in that those distributing the condoms don't understand the target market and who their customer is. Only 3% of adults in the DRC use condoms, and donor agencies are trying to increase demand for it. Although they supply free and/or low cost protection, the distributors did not consider an environmental scan to collect an internal analysis of their situation and why it is not in demand. Regardless of the cheap rates and extensive marketing campaigns, consumers do not purchase the branded versions. After careful re-evaluation, Lockwood found that consumers prefer to buy the generic versions instead.

What donor agencies fail to realize is the target market and socio-culture of who they are selling to. When people purchase condoms, they do not think of the red ribbon insignia or how they can save their partner from a life of AIDS, they are thinking about sex. That is exactly what the generic brands know and utilize that understanding to rake in the revenue.

The vast ever changing world of the marking industry knows, sex sells. It’s only common sense that the same ideology should apply to marketing condoms.