Condom company in big trouble over huge design fail
A personalised mug, t-shirt or Nutella jar are the usual go-to when it comes to office secret Santa. But did you know you can get personalised condoms too, because honestly, what could go wrong?
Well, personalised condom company, Say It With a Condom learnt that actually (...and unsurprisingly) a lot can go wrong when you allow people without any design or marketing experience to create their own condoms.
The brand released a condom package with a poorly attempted pun that actually managed to encourage sex without consent... *monumental facepalm*.
Got it yet? It's supposed to be 'Do-nut go further without consent.' Imagine two very drunk people seeing this. Problematic.
It's not exactly hard to discourage rape, clarity is pretty much the most important thing when it comes to consent: DON'T go further without it.
It didn't take long for people to voice their outrage and bewilderment on Twitter:
The people who signed off on this design aren't qualified to do anything more complex than stare out a window. pic.twitter.com/GldSU2T9RZ
— Gabriel Morton (@gabrielenguard) September 9, 2017
Is this a rape condom? Are those a thing?
— Radical Bradical (@MussolinisGhost) September 9, 2017
Jesus I didn't even realize they were trying to use the donut as 'do not' major fail indeed
— Stitchfeather 🌼💐 (@stitchfeather) September 9, 2017
This is the kind of design that shouldn't even get beyond the "Hey, wouldn't it be funny if.."-phase.
— Helge | SargeRho (@Helge129) September 9, 2017
I actually read that as 'go further without consent' wtf
— Abby (@VriskaSe) September 9, 2017
Coming from a company that's entire ethos is centred around promoting safe sex, this is a pretty big own goal.
Realising this, Say It With a Condom removed the condom, with the founder Benjamin Sherman stating to Cosmopolitan that the company would be going in a new, more constructive direction when it came to designs:
"Because we have such a large social media following, we're going to engage people [on social media] more and ask them, 'What are you thoughts on this?' and try to make more user-generated content with some of the future designs"
However, he said that he was happy a contentious issue has got more people involved in the debate around consent.
I do-nut think they'll be using wordplay anytime soon, though.