Valentine’s day is around. Like a risky stock, leveraging on such events can often be a high risk, high return decision.

Sex is a taboo topic in Asia and brands need to manoeuvre these issues quite sensitively. The pressure especially comes on brands such as Durex who can really increase brand loyalty and awareness when their target market is in the ‘mood for love’.

With the release of 50 Shades of Grey around the corner, Durex localised this (Malaysia) in an online game called ’50 ways of love’. By using the ‘social sign in’ feature and connecting with your partner online, you can have come to mutual conclusions about different ways to love in a ‘tinder-style’ game. What I find especially interesting is how Durex showed immense sensitivity in coming forth with such suggestions – Culinary Delights, evening stroll, home improvements.

Comparing this to their other campaign of #50 Games of Play which is of-course a lot more explicit and sexual, I believe Durex has really shown a lot of sensitivity towards the local Asian context. To get an idea, you can watch their ‘Reality, its better than fiction campaign’:

I personally believe that it is essential for brands to take ‘intelligent risks’.  Durex has smartly localised their global campaign to take into account cultural differences across the world. They surely seem to have a good plan to reduce (& probably mitigate) the PR risks that come with the launch of such campaigns. (Yes, we have seen horrors before!)

Seems like their sales figures will have a really good valentine’s day this year :)