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A Never-before ‘Condom a Cappella Ringtone’ Makes Waves

Imagine a phone going off at a wedding reception and the mobile ringtone has the unlikely chant of "condom, condom". Imagine the consternation of the person who holds the phone because it's not really his phone. Imagine the reaction of all around him. Well, if you think they are shocked and disapproving, you’ve got another think coming! Most people feel that there is nothing wrong with the condom ringtone, as condoms signify smart and responsible behaviour, the hallmark of any winner.

The ringtone was featured in an advertisement aired during August-October 2008. The objective of the ad was to make condoms more acceptable and portray the condom user as a smart and responsible person. The campaign therefore focused on people who are sensible enough to appreciate and understand this, and as a result the tagline progressed to Jo Samjha Wohi Sikander (the one who understands is a winner).

The strategy was to show social support for condoms, as this has a positive effect on use, and position condoms as a product that men use to show they are smart, responsible and care about themselves and their families. The creative idea of the ringtone won approval from men and women of all ages, and reinforced that condoms mean good sense and those who know it are the real winners in life!

This original ringtone was downloadable in India by SMSing the word ‘CONDOM’ to 5676787 (download charges applied). It is also available for free download on this website.

The ringtone struck a chord as nearly 550,000 requests for downloads were received in India through the SMS short code and another 200,000 downloads happened from this website. There was massive media coverage in India and abroad. The ringtone was a front page story in The Times of India, and was covered in national dailies, Indian TV as well as international media.