Hero Condoms is the condom brand of choice for 78 per cent of Australian women taking part in a recent survey – thanks to its inconspicuous packaging and successful social program under which the company matches sales of condoms with donations to developing countries.
In the study, conducted by market research company Pureprofile, 78 per cent of women respondents said they preferred Hero over its competitors, while around 60 per cent of 18 to 24 year olds surveyed said they were more comfortable purchasing Hero Condoms.
The latter group said that “either themselves or someone they knew were embarrassed or uncomfortable with purchasing condoms and I think the provocative packaging of the typical condom box plays a large part in that”, Hero CEO Dustin Leonard said.
“It’s crazy that this is the norm, given that women make up up to half of the overall condom market. We’ve designed Hero to be more appealing to women and our market research proves we’ve achieved that goal, with nearly 63 per cent of women saying they would be more comfortable bringing a Hero box to the register.”
The survey also found an overwhelming preference for brands that are socially responsible and environmentally conscious, with 94 per cent of respondents saying they would switch to a brand that is associated with a good cause, assuming it had similar price and quality to the brand they were currently using.
“If Hero can create a sustainable business model around giving back to the community, then why can’t the bigger brands do the same?” Mr Leonard said. “Hero’s one-for-one mission means that for every Hero condom sold in Australia and New Zealand, one condom is donated to a developing country.”
To date, the company has donated 575,000 condoms to Botswana, an African country with one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS infection in the world, and has pledged to donate two million condoms in 2016.
“Durex and Ansell had better be on guard,” Mr Leonard said. “Hero has only been around for a couple of years and has already received national distribution in Australia’s leading grocery and pharmacy retailers. With more women taking charge of their sexual health and purchasing decisions, we expect to continue increasing shelf space.”
