Durex causes controversy in South Africa with Twitter sex jokes

Condom maker Durex caused controversy in South Africa after a Twitter campaign of edgy sex jokes included a tweet that justified rape.

One joke from the campaign, which was run by the companys South Africa team through its Twitter account, which included the following tweet:

Why did God give men penises? So theyd have at least one way to shut a woman up. #DurexJoke

The message provoked a strong response from many, including a South Africa feminist group, particularly as it was sent during 16 days, an international campaignto fight violence against women and children. The tweet was criticised as a reference to rape, which remains a significant issue in South Africa where, as the Global Times reminds us, more than a quarter of men surveyedhave admitted to raping at least one person.

The controversial tweet was initially defended by the company, whose Twitter profile states that it supports non-violence against women, before it issued a series of apologiesthrough the microblogging service:

Were really sorry for causing offence today, not intentional. We believe in the rights of woman and safe sex. Thanks for putting us right.

As a brand respected by millions, we wld like 2 take this opportunity 2 apologize 4 the jokes po! sted on our timeline yesterday#DurexApology

Apologies go out to @FeministsSA, but also thanks. You reminded us that rape and violence against women is still a major concern in SA.

The joke was just one of many controversial messages that saw the #Durexjoke hashtag became a trending topic in South Africa, however despite it being a popular talking point the campaign received a mixed response. Some on Twitter joined in and submitted their own jokes, but the company received a significant number of responses criticising its edgy approach and the tone of the messages for alienating many within its target audience.

One Twitter usersuggested that the company was focusing its humour on theNeanderthalman, while others labelled the campaign rude and bombarding users.

Durex is by no means the first firm to court controversy by putting controversial messages on Twitter, Kenneth Coles Egypt-related tweet is arguably the most notorious example, but the unsavoury approach of the campaign appears to have caused the company more harm than good in South Africa.

Last week, Qantas latest social media campaign receive widespread negative feedback. TheAustralian Airline ran a competition promoting its luxury service just weeks after strike issues grounding its fleet, which resulted in a number of Twitter users hijacking the giveaway to criticise the firm.