CONDOMANIA GOES CYBERMANIA: America's First Condom Store Launches a Revolutionary 500 Page Web Site

LOS ANGELES January 31,1996 — Condomania, the first condom store in the nation, has launched Condomania Online, a new site on the World Wide Web (http://WWW.CONDOMANIA.COM). Condomania Online is the cyberspace extension of Condomania's retail stores, featuring an online catalog, the latest safer sex information, regularly updated newsletters and editorials, and company information.

From all over the world, viewers can browse the site from the comfort and privacy of their own homes. Not only does the site dramatically improve the availability of safer sex products not typically found in many parts of the world, but it offers a wealth of information to people who might not otherwise have access to the facts about safer sex and the best products available today. Most revolutionary, Condomania is very proud to offer the world's first interactive condom search guide — the Condom Wizard. The Condom Wizard guides users though a series of individualized questions, and provides product recommendations, custom tailored to each person's needs and preferences. Never before has it been so easy to sort though the abundance of available products — whether the Condom Wizard is helping a first time buyer or a seasoned expert, the result is an exciting development for the future of safer sex. The Wizard is just the latest in Condomania's five year history of making the world of safer sex more user friendly.

The heart of the site is a full color, online catalog featuring over 250 of the most popular items from Condomania's stores. Each item is brought to life with stunning, creative photography and detailed information — all conveyed in Condomania's trademark "hip" and casual style. Condomania's years of leadership and expertise in the condom business offer the most informative, simple to understand information ever provided about the wide array of condoms available. In all, there are over 100 different condoms featured, categorized by style so consumers can easily find the condoms that are best suited for them. Each condom has been photographed fully inflated so the viewer can see its actual shape, size, texture and color. In addition, the dimensions for each condom are displayed alongside a picture and dimensions of an "average" condom, so that each condom can be statistically and visually compared. The Condom Wizard is tied into this entire system, so once the Wizard makes his recommendations, a viewer can quickly click over to detailed descriptions of each product.

In addition to condoms, the online catalog features lubricants, t-shirts, boxer shorts, novelty items, games, books and other products — all related to Condomania's theme of fun, safer sex. A "shopping cart" mechanism allows viewers to "drop" products that interest them into a "shopping cart" as they go through the catalog. At the end of their shopping trip, viewers go to a "check out stand," where they can review their selections and make any changes. To complete a purchase, viewers simply complete an online order form with their address and credit card number, or they can print out an order form at send it to Condomania via mail or fax. Of course, anyone call also call Condomania's toll free number, 1-800-9CONDOM, and place an order with the mail order division. All orders are shipped out within 48 hours, (customers are notified of back orders if a shipment will be delayed), and all packages are sent in discreet plain wrapping. The Condomania site also includes the 17 page Condomania Safer Sex Manual, which uses hip, honest language to educate and help people negotiate the many issues of safer sex, such as what to do if your partner refuses to practice safer sex. Two different monthly newsletters on the site provide additional information on the newest products and trends in the safer sex industry, and practical advice on how to incorporate safer sex into your life. The site also contains detailed information on sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV and AIDS, and information about Condomania's education and outreach programs, store locations, and company history.

Adam Glickman, Condomania's 29 year old founder and president, is the principle architect and inspiration for Condomania online. As one of the nation's experts on the marketing of safer sex, Glickman realized that the exploding interest in cyberspace offered the perfect forum to carry the message of safer sex into the 21st century. Glickman personally designed the look, feel and composition of Condomania Online, based on his experience with the success of Condomania's retail stores and mail order division.

Less than one year ago, Glickman was not all that familiar with the Internet: "When I first heard the term 'HTML' (Hyper Text Markup Language), I thought it sounded like a sexual transmitted disease." Nine months later, Glickman's "baby" was born — a site in which he produced all the computer generated images, wrote all of the copy and did a majority of the HTML coding. To help refine his efforts, Glickman hired Christopher Filkins, a marketing and Web consultant. Together, Glickman and Filkins constructed the entire site, over 500 pages filled with 750 images and custom photographs by Lydia Parchment.

Condomania Online has a friendly, inviting feel to it. Childlike fonts and colorful images create a fun environment in which to explore the catalog and comprehensive safer sex information. Remarks Glickman, "It was essential that the site be as approachable and relaxed as possible. The whole point of Condomania is to recognize that the issues of condom usage and safer sex are still difficult and awkward for many people. The Web site is constructed with these people in mind." Like the Condomania stores, Condomania online does not contain any adult, x-rated or pornographic images or text. At a time when worldwide concern is turned to the proliferation of "adult" sites on the Internet, Condomania offers a refreshing approach to the many aspects of sexuality, appropriate for all ages.

Although the site has only been open for a few days, orders have already come in from Japan and the Netherlands. Notes Glickman, " The Web site represents the ultimate fulfillment of the original vision — to offer the 'world of safersex' to people in a fun, informative and respectful way. Now people don't have to travel to access to best safer sex products available — Condomania comes to you!"

Condomania, the nation's first condom store, was established in June 1991, in New York City, to help meet the needs of safer Americans. Condomania focuses on assisting customers of every age, sex, culture and sexual orientation in learning about, and purchasing condoms and safer sex products.