Brand Activation: Durex
what’s happening
to me?
Explore the evolving journey of sexual identity in your later years with Durex, your trusted guide in sexual wellness
By 29 years old, the sexual exploration chapter should be reaching its conclusion.
Growing LGBTQ+ acceptance has led to about 20% of Gen Z adults identifying as queer, illustrating that today's youth envision lives beyond the traditional 'girl meets boy, gets married, and has babies' narrative.
However, this shift can overshadow the discomfort older individuals may experience. Exiting your teens and twenties makes the prospect of coming out and reassessing your identity even more daunting.
Coming out at an older age than “normal” often feels like experiencing a second adolescence.
Sexual identity is fluid with many unanswered questions along the way. The uncertainty many experience underscores the need for more inclusive support, especially in sexual health.
Durex's brand evolution addresses a gap left by the condom category's hyper-masculine image. By addressing this imbalance and embracing a broader mission, Durex not only adds depth to its brand but also embodies authentic action in making sexual freedom accessible to all.
Strategy: Every Age. Your Stage.
Durex will serve as the voice of guidance and empathy for people of all ages on the journey of coming out.
Although the individuals in the project group essentially formed a focus group for queerness, there was still research to be done.
Throughout the process of refining the audience and honing insights, many revealing conversations were had, pages of articles were read, numerous psychology journals were decoded, feeds of TikTok storytimes were devoured, and hours of podcasts were listened to, all leading to one singular message:
It’s your solo show, your coming out story. But isn't it more fun with a cheering section?
Exploring coming out stories from those
who waited for their later chapters
“For 30 years I’ve ran away and hid from this side of me. For so many years I felt so ashamed that I didn’t want to acknowledge it.”
“I was going through a divorce with a man. I decided that I’m to date women. I’ve always been attracted to women.”
“In your twenties, you’re a bit lost. But that’s not to say that in your thirties, you have your shit together because you don’t all the time.”
“We come from a different time. We come from a time when that (queerness) wasn’t really an option for a lot of us.”
“There are a lot of things that I feel like I need to catch up on, like every single terminology ever.”
“For so long I’d attached my self worth around different milestones in my life that I wanted to achieve. So when I took those timelines and milestones away, I was very confused as to what I was left with.”
“Instead of saying ‘why now?’,
say ‘congratulations.’”
DUREX PRESENTS
“What’s Happening To Me?”: An Illustrated Guide to Your Second Adolescence, a book modeled after the ones we all were handed in middle school to explain pimples and boobs.
This version teaches readers that regardless of age, change is normal. Those new feelings can be scary but embracing all that we are allows us to live a fuller life.
The conclusion of the book directs people to the "What’s Happening To Me" page of Durex’s site to have any remaining questions answered by the LGBT National Help Center because answers are better when they’re given by people, not Google.
What I actually did
Copywriting this webpage
Strategy + Insights
Creative Briefing
In-depth Interviews
Social Listening
Brand, Consumer +
Culture Research
Collaborators
Hannah Kent (Illustrator)
Cat Clark (AD + Illustrator)
Emery Schindler (CW)
Regan O’Donnell (AD)