Durex shoots out global rebrand, wishes consumers 'Happy 69 Day'

Durex has undergone a global rebranding in collaboration with Havas to reveal a new tagline "Good Sex. Liberated" and a creative concept based on the vintage 1969 feel. This comes as the brand is celebrating its 90th birthday this year and the rebranding is in a bid to make its communications more simple and straightforward, brand manager Looi Mun Yee told Marketing. 

Looi, however, declined to reveal the monetary value of the rebrand. On the Singapore front, Actstitude Communications will handle above and below the line campaign localisation for Durex. In a statement to Marketing, Alvin Kok, managing director and co-founder of Actstitude, said the global rebrand will be rolled out in stages, with Singapore being one of the first few countries. The new branding will be rolled out in Malaysia and Indonesia within the next few months, Kok said.

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He added that the newspaper ads done as part of the rebranding also intentionally carried the vintage feel and take consumers back to the year 1969. Kok said:

In 1969, communications were usually short, simple, bold and daring! That’s what Durex wants to stand for in this campaign.

According to Kok, the new branding targets individuals aged 18 years old and those who are keen to have a good and safe time. As part of the new branding, the company has rolled out the Durex 69 campaign which also features the old school 1969 vintage look. In a Facebook post, Durex wished consumers "Happy 69er Day!" and encouraged them to stay safe and have "a ton of fun".

"We want people to think 69 as not just another number, but it’s a day to have fun! And until you’re ready for the 3 am feeding, changing out diapers, smelling like poop and the constant wailing – Durex is here for you!" Kok explained to Marketing.

The company has been publishing several witty posts on social media lately, from a cheeky post about wearing red on National Day to encouraging consumers to "get busy" amidst a global Facebook outage. According to Kok, being "real" remains core to the brand's DNA and helps it speak to Millennials and the younger generation. He said:

Millennials want to see a brand that resonates with them, not a brand that educates.

As such, these social media assets are key to helping Durex remain top of mind among the younger generation. With Southeast Asia being a fragmented market, Kok said Durex always makes it an effort to speak the local lingo and address topics that local consumers are interested in. It also develops its marketing strategies based on consumers' needs.

"More often than not, Durex is perceived as a serious brand – but in this day and age, we want people to think we are not just serious, but we are for them; and we are fun!" Kok added.

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