Caught VD? The new CW show – Vampire Diaries has a clever new ad campaign. VD is also “venereal disease” or a super old-fashioned way of saying Sexually Transmitted Infection. It’s provocative, suggesting a hint of danger and a big dose of sex... but did they really think it through? Take a bunch of raging hormones, add some sex and violence, and then suggest that STI’s are somehow sexy? Of course, that would be the case if anyone used the term venereal disease anymore.
In this case, I think the real problem with VD (the show) is the lack of safe sex awareness the characters display… I mean, come on! Blood everywhere, bodily fluids floating around, and not a condom or pack of birth control pills in sight. They reach 3-4 million viewers each week – and rumor has it the target audience is 18-34 year old women – why not use that to show vampires and werewolves that know what’s up when it comes to sex? The slogans could be great: “Only copper IUDs can defend you against werevolves!” “Nuvarings are a witch’s best friend” and “No condom? No drinking my blood!”
Like some bloggers have mentioned – Skins, Shameless, and VD haven’t appeared out of thin air. Americans love sex, and TV shows love Americans… but if we’re going to show it, why not make it safe? And in the words of the CW representatives, when asked for comment, "VD simply stands for 'Vampire Diaries,' and anyone who thinks otherwise should probably get themselves checked out." Now that’s a message I can support!