How Durex is making premium intimacy more relatable

Durex has named content creator Sean Solo as the face of its latest premium condom range, Durex 001, marking a deeper move into ambassador-led marketing as the sexual wellness brand looks to build long-term awareness across Malaysia and Singapore.

The campaign centres on the global tagline, "For those who enjoy the finer things in life" and sees Solo stepping into a more sophisticated persona to reflect the positioning of Durex 001, the brand's thinnest condom to date.

The partnership comes as Durex seeks to move beyond traditional influencer collaborations and establish a consistent voice for the premium product line.

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"⁠Durex 001 introduces a new level of premium intimacy within the Durex portfolio, and building understanding of a product like this requires consistent storytelling over time," said Zoe Teo, Durex brand manager at Reckitt.

"As a long-term ambassador, Solo plays an important role in helping consumers understand what makes Durex 001 unique. Beyond creating awareness, the partnership allows Durex to consistently reinforce the product's premium positioning and key benefits through an authentic and credible voice that consumers can connect with," she said. 

The campaign was developed together with Aspect Ratio Studios, which served as Solo's talent management agency as well as creative partner and production house.

According to Ryan Yee, project lead and director at Aspect Ratio Studios and creative Timothy Long, the creative challenge was finding a balance between the luxury cues associated with a premium product and the humour that audiences have come to expect from Solo.

"We needed to ensure viewers recognized this as a top-of-the-line product while also maximizing the reach of Sean's following by delivering content that aligned with their expectations," they said.  "We dedicated a significant amount of time to perfecting this blend, and we're pleased to say we ultimately found the ideal sweet spot."

Luxury, but make it relatable

The resulting campaign includes six films designed to spotlight different product features through cinematic storytelling and aspirational lifestyle imagery.

"Each lifestyle-led film, tailored to bring out refined tastes and experiences through storytelling, aspired and evoked a sophisticated mood and tone that is in line with the tagline, 'For those who enjoy the finer things in life'," said the duo. 

"At the same time, we were cautious - knowing that this approach may alienate the broader audience. Hence, we grounded the films with light-heartedness that made it resonate with all," they added. 

Fans of Sean Solo may also spot references to his well-known "Hongdae guy" character throughout the films. While the campaign replaces his trademark leather jacket with a tailored black suit, Yee hinted that several additional easter eggs were woven into the creative.

"There are a couple more references snuck into the films, but we try to keep it light. Solo perfectly embodies the premium-ness of the brand, at the same time, his alter-ego, the 'Hongdae guy', allowed us to maintain relevance and create relatability with the target audience in mind," Yee and Long explained. 

From experiential to eCommerce

Beyond the hero films, Durex built an integrated campaign spanning experiential, social and commerce channels.

At the centre of the launch was "Room 001", an invite-only immersive activation designed to introduce consumers to the product's core benefits through a series of sensory-led experiences. At the experience, guests were invited into a carefully curated space inspired by the product's three key benefits: ultra-thin precision, extra lubrication, and effortless fit.

In Singapore, this included sensory-led activations such as ring engravings, thin-cut crisps served throughout the night and more.

The event culminated in the official unveiling of Durex 001 alongside brand ambassador Solo, marking the launch of Durex's newest premium intimacy innovation, said Teo.

The campaign also marked a first for the brand with the launch of a 24-hour Shopee livestream, reflecting the growing role of eCommerce in the intimate wellness category.

"Many consumers prefer a discreet, convenient, and accessible way to purchase intimate wellness products, making eCommerce a natural shopping destination," she explained. "As livestream shopping continues to grow, Durex saw an opportunity to engage consumers in a new way."

The livestream formed part of a broader commerce strategy aimed at educating consumers about the product while driving conversion.

According to Teo, the launch is only the beginning of a broader push behind Durex 001. The brand has partnered with Solo on a series of branded content initiatives and plans to continue building momentum through creator collaborations, social content, brand partnerships and consumer engagement activities throughout the year.

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