Japan – SKYN Condoms teams up with independent creative agency UltraSuperNew Tokyo for its latest Valentine’s Day campaign, transforming an awkward tussle over the last packet of condoms into a hilarious showdown.
SKYN’s latest campaign film explores Honne to Tatemae, the Japanese concept of balancing true feelings (honne) with socially appropriate behaviour (tatemae).
Titled ‘Soft Competition,’ the ad follows a man and a woman reaching for the last packet of SKYN condoms in a convenience store. Their inner honne sparks a comical showdown of expressions and emotions, but they quickly rein it in, reverting to their composed, socially proper tatemae selves.
Annie Hou, associate director for sales and marketing at MAM LifeStyles, said, “This marks a monumental milestone for SKYN. After almost a decade in Japan, we are thrilled to announce that our products are now available in the highly competitive Konbini Market—a space traditionally dominated by big-name brands. This step allows us to bring SKYN closer to you, ensuring both our loyal fans and those discovering us for the first time can find our soft textured product not only in drugstores but also in select konbini locations nearby.”
Yousuke Ozawa, creative director for UltraSuperNew Tokyo, added, “This time, we decided to take a fresh approach by casting the characters as rivals instead of couples, adding a whole new dynamic to the brand. We also made the protagonist a woman, something only SKYN could pull off since the product is designed for both men and women. Instead of the usual submissive or cutesy portrayal of a Japanese woman, we made her a confident, charismatic go-getter. Through this, we hope to shift the image of Japanese women in a more empowering direction while also letting people know that SKYN is now available in convenience stores.”
