Cringeworthy, or daring brand engagement?

Here's an article we just had published on brand-e.biz

Asks Sabine Stork.* Durex has teamed up with a local youth TV station in a shoutout for teens to star in the upcoming reality show Virgin Diaires. Wannabes need to upload their audition videos to the LoveBox website ‘to document sensitively how you feel about this touchy subject’. The site kicks off with some cringeworthy questions "Have you ever done it? Yes, in Virgin Diaries we’re talking about the most obvious topic amongst teenagers – the famous first time… how do you feel, is it still ahead of you? Are you interested in documenting your thoughts, feelings… around the first time with a camera?" Well, it really makes you wonder what sort of exhibitionistic teen won’t be excruciatingly embarrassed by this exercise. And won’t they worry about being laughed at by their peers? Still, this is the third series and a quick scan of German youth blogs shows that Virgin Diaries certainly has talkability … some youngsters welcome the show in a spirit of openness, many seem to find the series entertaining but laughable and a bit trashy, others are mortified for the subjects, or simply question whether the footage is really real. Some also wonder if the show does not simply add to pressure on teens to have sex. So, possibly a bit exploitative and cringe-making, but quite canny of Durex – it’s there right at the beginning of its customers ’sector experience’ and puts itself into a somewhat ‘daring’ and slightly controversial context which seems spot on in terms of brand image.