Today Sponge Gets New Life

NEW YORK -- Allendale Pharmaceuticals will launch over the next few months a $6-7 million consumer campaign for the Today sponge, the contraceptive made famous by a Seinfeld episode.

Consumer ads, via MDC Group, New York, will include women's magazines, radio and Internet. The campaign will likely begin airing this fall or the first quarter 2006, according to Allendale and MDC. The sponge will be available in all major drugstore chains in September, according to Allendale CEO Gene Detroyer. Allendale is hoping to do about $35 million in annual sales, Detroyer said.

However, the company's marketing will not use its most obvious brand connection, as Allendale has not approached Seinfeld star Julia Louis-Dreyfuss to endorse the brand. When previous corporate parent American Home Products abandoned the brand it was Louis-Dreyfuss' character Elaine who hoarded the sponges, judging potential sex partners as "spongeworthy" or not. "We determined that she probably doesn't reflect our target," said Detroyer.

Detroyer said that the target was women 30 and older, and that the company plans to take advantage of the recent bad rap received by hormone-based drugs. "We understand it's primary reason for being, it's a very good alternative for a woman who wants non-hormonal contraception," Detroyer said.

With new owner Allendale, and re-approved by the Food and Drug Administration on Monday, Today has already been the subject of nationwide media coverage, thanks to Widmeyer Communications, New York. Allendale, based in the New Jersey town of the same name, will also begin a healthcare profession education rollout over the next few weeks, also handled by MDC.

Ironically, Detroyer said he came late to the brand's sitcom history. "The first time I saw the Seinfeld episode was after I bought [rights to] the product."

-- Jim Edwards