An analysis of Josh condom commercials: perspectives on female sexuality in Pakistani culture

Even though sexuality occupied a prominent place in traditional Islam, sex has become a taboo subject in Pakistan, especially female sexuality. Prudish attitudes about female sexuality have not only resulted in population explosion in Pakistan but also impacted women's health. I analyze thirteen Josh condom commercials that were initially banned in Pakistan because viewers complained of indecent content, and later moved to late night programming in order to meet the national goal of population control. My paper examines how female sexuality is depicted in the Josh ad campaign and identifies three common themes: female sexual agency, female sexual pleasure, and marital satisfaction. Employing Kenneth Burke's rhetorical theory, I argue that the Josh condom commercials failed to build identification with viewers because the ad campaign overlooked cultural views that govern female sexuality in Pakistan as well as other social expectations that affect family size. I conclude that Pakistani women cannot be held responsible for controlling the exploding population of Pakistan when social factors restricting their sexual and reproductive agency have not been addressed. Pakistani culture already leans towards shifting blame for societal problems onto women, and commercials that reinforce this belief can further harm women and fail in controlling population growth.

Automated summary

Although sexuality is prominent in traditional Islam, it has become a taboo subject in Pakistan, particularly female sexuality. Prudish attitudes towards female sexuality not only contribute to population explosion but also impact women's health. This paper examines thirteen Josh condom commercials which were initially banned due to indecent content in Pakistan. The study explores how female sexuality is portrayed in the ads and identifies three common themes. By using Kenneth Burke's rhetorical theory, the paper argues that the commercials failed to resonate with viewers because they overlooked cultural views and social expectations on female sexuality. The conclusion highlights the importance of addressing social factors that restrict women's sexual and reproductive agency to effectively control the population growth. Additionally, commercials that reinforce blame on women can further harm them and fail in achieving the goal of population control.