Can you write a song for an oversized condom without making it all about big dicks? Perhaps unsure how to accomplish this on their own, Magnum condoms is crowdsourcing the challenge.
To start with, it is painfully difficult for the Times to discuss the ad, its particular market, and why hip-hop has given it so much free marketing. Just check out the headline A Hip Hop Contest To Promote A Brand — which is the equivalent of brown-paper wrapping. But there are some fascinating statistics here: Magnum has grown its market share from 4.6 percent share of the condom market in 2001 to its current level of 18.8 percent. Trojan’s internal research suggests Magnums are “the most popular condom among African Americans” — they buy 40 percent of all Magnums.
This being the Times, they don’t resort to the obvious “this confirms positive racial stereotypes” joke (and we won’t either). All this does, however, explain why Magnum would get Ludacris involved in its first-ever ad campaign, piggybacking on a whole lot of free publicity he and other rappers have given the brand already. (Or, in the preferred euphemism, “While rappers usually evoke the large condoms to imply a physical attribute…”). They’re holding a contest for the best lyrics about “Living Large,” and supposedly that means more than just penis size.
They’re smart to pretend that this is about anything than bragging about this particular indicator of masculinity. But we have a feeling it’s going to be all dick jokes anyway. Which is fine by us! Your best lyrics, in the comments please.
Magnum Live Large [Official Site]
A Hip Hop Contest To Promote A Brand [NYT]