Talk about shared pleasure. For every condom it sells, a new condom company will hand one out in the developing world.
L. condoms is taking pre-orders before Valentine’s Day and will officially launch in early 2011. If you’re lucky enough to get lucky on a regular basis (or you’re just extremely optimistic), you might opt for the 12, 24, 36 or 48-per-month subscription pack.
The concept came to 26-year-old photographer Talia Frenkel as she traveled the world photographing the aftermath of natural disasters and HIV/AIDS epidemics for the American Red Cross and other organizations. It was the preventable tragedies that stood out to her.
Tonic spoke to Frenkel, now back in Los Angeles, after she had been on the phone all night with manufacturers halfway across the world. She explained how L. is partnering with organizations like Direct Relief International that are working on the ground in Uganda and Kenya, where the first shipments will be distributed. With HIV-positive populations of 1.2 million and 1.5 million people respectively, the condoms are badly needed in those nations.
Frenkel noted that L. is developing a strategy that takes cultural norms into account. In some areas, it’s best to get condoms to female sex workers through peer-to-peer distribution. In others, the community would be best served by making them available in clinics. In still other places, L. will support a culture of buying condoms. “We want to work in high-impact areas,” she said. “Not just drop them off and hope for the best.”
She saw the one-for-one model, inspired in part by TOMS Shoes, as an infinitely graspable way to increase consumer involvement.
Female empowerment is also a key tenet of the business plan. Frenkel says, “When we invest in a woman, we invest in her family, her community and her nation.” A little piece of latex can make all the difference in whether a young woman stays in school and is able to rise in society.
Order your L. condoms here and watch for them in boutique stores in the coming year.
Photo 1 by Jo Jakeman via Flickr, photo 2 courtesy of L.