This is a shocking Belgian Zazoo condom commercial promoting the use of condoms. It shows a father embarrassed for the behavior of his son in a supermarket. He is unable to control his hysterical son. The ad ends with the slogan “Wear condoms,” to emphasize the message, “unless you are prepared for the responsibilities of raising a child properly, practice safe sex”( http://instructors.dwrl.utexas.edu/tbrown/node/104). This could be interpreted an encouragement not to have kids who only pose problems, as it portrays an embarrassing situation where a father is unable to handle his child. In countries that are more collectivist and family-oriented people may be offended by the statement encouraging people not to have kids, and to wear condoms. Additionally, this commercial negatively advertises children, which opposes efforts to increase birthrates in Europe. In response to decreasing birthrates in Europe, governments have been providing social child support to encourage couples to have more children. “…Norway, Sweden, and France…[ provide] generous funding for child-care centers and time off for working mothers and fathers. In France, families with children are given allowances for buying clothing and school supplies that increase sharply with the birth of a third child. Meanwhile, the birth rate in Germany is an average 1.37 children per woman, compared with 1.9 in France, 1.81 in Norway, and 1.75 in Sweden, according to Eurostat, the statistics agency of the European Union”(http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/14/world/europe/14iht-germany.1974891.html?scp=3&sq=child%20social%20support%20to%20increase%20birthrate%20france&st=cse). This commercial subtly opposes this initiative. The commercial was banned in the USA. Why do you think it was banned in the USA?
-Larissa Zemke
globalmarketingcourse 