With Billy Mays (R.I.P.) gone and that Shamwow creep lying low after felony battery charges, the path is clear for a new kind of pitchman - one that has no discernible talents and the screen presence of rock. That's right, folks - Levi Johnston is on the scene and he's using the last two seconds of his 15 minutes of fame to sell... nuts?

In a new spot for Wonderful Pistachio's "Get Crackin'" campaign, Johnston - the Alaska teen who fathered a son with Sarah Palin's daughter Bristol - approaches the camera as his ever-present bodyguard, Tank Jones, surveys the scene. Once Tank gives the "all clear" sign, Johnston cracks open and eats a pistachio as the voiceover, nodding to the only reason anybody knows Johnston's name, says, "Now Levi Johnston does it with protection."

What do you think? Is the ad funny or is it making a joke out of a very serious situation? Can sexual innuendo about teenagers help you forget about last April's pistachio salmonella contamination recall or does it just make you feel even more sick to your stomach? Is there anything you would buy based on an endorsement from Levi Johnston? Post your comments below.

UPDATE: I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

As noted in a post by Jezebel last week, MTV is under fire from the conservative advocacy group Concerned Women for America for advertising Plan B emergency contraception on their website. A few points on the subject:

1. I can't resist noting that if Concerned Women is so concerned about minors getting funny ideas in their heads about sex from visiting mtv.com, they might want to start by protesting videos of hot tub group make-out sessions rather than contraception ads. Seriously though, what's sexier, naked twenty-somethings making out in a hot-tub, or a pregnancy scare?
   
   
2. More to the point, MTV is targeted toward young adults and many young adults use contraception. According to an article on AdAge.com, part of the argument against advertising Plan B on a website with users under 18 is the age-restriction on Plan B. First of all, I'm a bit skeptical about the suggestion that "the owner of Plan B is directly targeting younger girls in order just to sell more of their product."  I can't speak for the makers of Plan B, but it seems to me that a more effective marketing strategy would be to target a demographic that can simply go to the store and buy your product without a prescription. Furthermore, just because Plan B is not approved for over-the-counter sale to women under 18 does not mean that teens don't need to learn about sex and relationships before the age of emancipation. (For more on the Plan B age-restriction, check out the National Women's Health Network's statement on the subject).
   
   
3. Which brings me to my last point. The concerns of CWA seem to me a perfect illustration of why comprehensive sex education—that is, sex education that teaches both abstinence and contraception—is crucial to help young people make sense of the many conflicting messages they are exposed to by media, school, parents, and peers. In the AdAge.com story, parent Denise O'Donoghue is quoted as saying that upon initiating "the talk" with her 14-year-old daughter, she was "shocked at how much misinformation and misconception among kids is really out there about sexual education."

Wouldn't it be more constructive to ensure that teens are equipped with accurate knowledge about sex and relationships rather than pointing fingers at a media outlet which targets young adults for advertising contraception?  What do you think?

A couple months back I was at Nationals Park (or, as I like to call it, my living room) watching my beloved Washington Nationals lose yet another game. As the grounds crew prepared the field for that night's game, I noted a particularly hairy individual watering the grass. Turns out the hirsute guy was a plant—part of the Geico caveman advertising campaign. After a few minutes watering the lawn as a member of the grounds crew, the caveman was flashed onto the gi-normous television screen hanging in center field and a good laugh was had by all. Human product placement!

Reflect for a moment on all the innovative and engaging campaigns you have seen over the past two years—from insurance, to beer, to fill in your personal favorite here. Now think about all the innovative campaigns you have come across in the oddly-named field of reproductive health. Ready? Go...

Waiting... tick, tick, tick

Give up?

Me too.

The ugly truth is that most campaigns at preventing teen and unplanned pregnancy and encouraging people to take sex, pregnancy, and family formation a bit more seriously are, at best, stuck in neutral (if by neutral you mean approximately 1987). Of course, there may be practical and idealogical reasons for all this; bold social marketing efforts in reproductive health land are frequently dismissed by true believers as disrespectful, preachy, fear-based, shame-filled, or they are simply precluded by media outlets from being aired at all.

All of which brings us to a truly engaging mass media effort underway in India to—in the words of the creators—"make condoms more socially acceptable and improve the image of the condom user as a smart and responsible person." One listen to the condom ring tone and you will understand what I mean by an engaging, innovative and—dare I say it—fun social marketing effort.

See the TV ad, listen to the fabulous-can't-get-enough-of-it ringtone, and learn more about this innovative effort. Now start you own campaign! Remember, no giraffes, rainbows, or unicorns allowed.