FEATURE/Woman Sells Men's Condoms to Women: vive la difference! Offers Women Three Sizes, Flavors and Colors for All Occasions

FEATURE/Woman Sells Men's Condoms to Women: vive la difference! Offers Women Three Sizes, Flavors and Colors for All Occasions

Business Wire - Tuesday February 2, 1999

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE FEATURES)--Feb. 2, 1999--Women often have difficulty purchasing men's condoms, either from embarrassment or confusion. Condoms have always been marketed to men by men. Traditionally men have been entrusted with buying condoms and with using them, but they don't seem to be doing all that good a job at it, judging by all the news articles on teen pregnancies and heterosexual HIV.

But today with ever-new STDs and more and more abandoned babies, there is a condom company that wants to help empower women to take more control over their bodies and their futures. Although it's not talked about much, one size does not fit all, and since women are most at risk, the products of vive la difference! (www.viveladifference.com) Safer Sex Choices for Women make it easier for them to protect themselves.

For the first time, national name-brand men's condoms in assorted sizes, flavors and colors are packaged for women and sold in female- friendly locations, such as the feminine hygiene section of pharmacies. Each pretty, pink-and-white box of vive la difference! assorted condoms contains a snug, standard and sizable choice of fit, a variety of colors and flavors, and a mint-scented non-lubricated condom for oral sex. Also included is an educational booklet titled, "The Hows & Whys of Getting Your Man to Wear a Condom."

The founder of the company, Cherie Magnus, a professional librarian for the City of Los Angeles until last year, has discovered that many men also like the convenience of so many choices in one box, especially if he's not quite sure what size is best for him, or if he's a bit shy about purchasing colors and flavors -- that is, when he can find them.

Magnus was surprised at how many purchases were made as gifts, and so enlarged the product line with safer-sex gift baskets, a selection of elegant purse compacts, condom wallets, a Cup O'Condoms and T-shirts, encouraging customers to "Give the gift of safer sex."

Magnus' company also markets the female condom, which is cumbersome and not as effective in protection as the simple male condom, but she wants to offer another choice to the woman whose lover balks at using a condom himself -- even though the male condom is the most reliable protection from unwanted pregnancy and STDs available today.

The Los Angeles Times reported in April 1998 that condom education and ease-of-purchase availability increased condom usage 94 percent among teen-age females.

vive la difference! stands alone in offering women the opportunity to be easily prepared with the appropriately sized condom when the need arises without purchasing multiple products. If the condom is too big, it slips off; if it is too small it either won't go on or it breaks. Either way, the woman is unprotected. And as Magnus likes to say, "At the moment of truth, it's too late to be unprepared -- or to go shopping!"

vive la difference! Safer Sex Choices for Women products can be ordered on the Web (www.viveladifference.com), by phone, fax, e-mail and regular mail. They also are found in selected hair salons, lingerie stores, drug stores and adult novelty boutiques.

Note to Editors: Cherie Magnus is available for interviews.

http://www.viveladifference.com; Cherie@viveladifference.com; 323/666-2687 or toll free 800/618-7779; fax 323/666-2608; 4477 Hollywood Blvd., suite 208, Los Angeles, Calif. 90027.

Contact: vive la difference! Safer Sex Choices for Women Cherie Magnus, 323/666-2687
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