photo credit: trec_lit
Given the equine subterfuge that precipitated the sack of Troy, Trojan condoms are curiously named–deception is not a quality one typically looks for in a prophylactic. Consumers, however, don’t seem to mind: Trojans reign supreme in America’s nightstand drawers and billfolds. The various types of Trojan–Ultra Ribbed, Magnum XL, Warm Sensations–account for 70.5 percent of condom sales in drugstores, giving the brand more than four times the market share of runner-up Durex.
The brand’s longevity is its chief strength, because when you’re selling condoms, name recognition is everything. Cheapskates may be content to buy CVS Allergy Relief Tablets in lieu of Claritin, but even the stingiest shoppers are reluctant to gamble on unfamiliar birth control. So, consumers stick with the same brands their parents used–and in the case of Trojan, which debuted in 1920, the one their grandparents used. Newer brands like Trustex and Hot Rod have their fans, but they’re minnows compared to mighty Trojan.