The Selling of the Condom
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An entertaining look at one aspect of the selling of birth control devices in America:
Youngs knew, however, that condoms needed a new image in order to thrive. He countered the product’s dicey reputation by stressing manufacturing standards and building a state-of-the-art factory in Trenton, N.J., that produced condoms of uniform quality. He also favored austere packaging emblazoned with nothing but a Trojan helmet, a symbol meant to connote protection and virility. Youngs’ artwork was far less erotic than that of his primary rival, Jules Schmid, a onetime sausage-maker who’d started making lamb-gut condoms in the 1880s; by the time Trojan debuted, he was manufacturing rubber condoms under the Ramses and Sheik brand names. Schmid’s packages often featured romantic Egyptian or Arab images.
What’s the best-selling condom in America?
