2008 Woodie Awards
O!zone condom coupons censored
RENEE DAVIES
News Journalist
|
The condom ad has left the building.
After multiple complaints from students, parents and faculty, condom coupons were removed from the coupon booklet handed out to students entering The Boise State Bookstore.
The coupon was for 20 percent off any purchase of $5 or more at The Ozone condom shop located on Broadway Avenue.
"I had at least five [complaints]," Director of The Bookstore Mike Reed said.
"And I know a couple of the other managers had more than that as well."
Reed notified Brooks Publishing, publisher of the coupon booklets, of the complaints and suggested alternative distribution sites. He suggested another location in the Student Union Building where students could pick up the coupon booklets without being offended.
Brooks Publishing then made the decision to remove all condom coupons from the remaining booklets. The company sent two temporary workers to pull out all condom coupons.
According to Jeff Brooks, CEO of Brooks Publishing, the process took three days.
Approximately 15,000 coupons were removed.
"I think that's ridiculous," senior Rachel Alberson said. "That [The Ozone] should be a place where people have access to cheap products and be able to protect each other."
While some students have no opinion on either the presence or absence of the ad, many feel it should have remained in the booklet. However, there are students who feel that the coupon doesn't belong in the booklet.
Junior Abby Waters said the presence of the coupon would unnecessarily perpetuate the idea across campus that everyone is having sex.
"They have those resources out there already, and it doesn't need to be out there for everyone," Waters said.
Caryn Thompson, owner of The Ozone, who was not notified beforehand that her coupons would be removed, said she doubted at first that the incident was happening. By the second or third phone call from students and faculty notifying her of the missing coupons, Thompson said she was stunned.
Thompson has advertised through the coupon booklets for three years, using the exact same coupon. According to her, this is the first semester she has heard of any problem with it.
"The coupon is in no way soliciting anyone," Thompson said. "In the past the coupons have done really well for me … most of the students that came in on Friday were students that are aware that I have the coupon in there and were waiting for the books to come out to come in and make their big purchases."
Thompson said approximately 500 to 600 people come in with the coupons each semester.
The Ozone will offer the discount to any student who comes in with a student ID and notifies her that they are aware of the ad.
There are also plans to offer the coupon through Health, Wellness and Counseling Services and at sexual awareness events across campus.
According to Brooks, Thompson will receive a full refund for the coupons.
Check out other examples of censorship at Boise State
View the results of our online poll and add your own voice.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 25
DianaGainer
posted 9/01/08 @ 5:23 AM MST
Heavens to Betsy! I'm old enough to be these "kids'" granny and back in MY day, we knew our peers sometimes were, you know, doing "it" (gasp!). No kidding! Guess what? We have a problem with unwanted pregnancy in this country! Yeah, really, no foolin'! Giving a discount on condoms might actually encourage a smidgen of responsibility. (Continued…)
Casey Sievers
posted 9/01/08 @ 7:36 AM MST
This is a sad day. I have seen people get up in arms over vaginas, immigrants, tomatoes, and now condoms. What is this world coming to? Why is a coupon for condoms in a coupn book for COLLEGE students so offensive? We are adults. (Continued…)
Bobby Maddox
posted 9/01/08 @ 9:50 AM MST
I thought college is supposed to be where we became adults, not whiny little crybabies. Life is not picture perfect and there are things everyone will experience that will offend them. (Continued…)
Don Q
posted 9/01/08 @ 11:52 AM MST
Welcome to the wonderful world of censorship! Where the whims of the few can ruin the joys of the masses. Ok, so some religious zealots and prudes got worked up and made the spineless book store manager fold like a cheap lawnchair, time to grow up people! I agree with all these other commentors in the fact that as adults we should all be capable of choosing to ignore a small piece of paper. (Continued…)
anonymous
posted 9/01/08 @ 1:15 PM MST
I think this is just ridiculous. I have actually worked at the bookstore for as long as the O!zone coupons have been in the Coupon Books and, like the owner of the O!zone, this semester was the first time that I've heard of anyone complaining about the coupons. (Continued…)
Conor
posted 9/01/08 @ 5:53 PM MST
It is pretty clear that this was a bad decision on the part of the bookstore administration. How is it that a person can't just flip to the next page if they don't want to look at a condom coupon? No, instead they choose to be offended by focusing on it. (Continued…)
Ron Jeremy
posted 9/01/08 @ 11:06 PM MST
I'm glad they got rid of those coupons not because i'm offended by it but i always thought it was kind of sleezy and trashy. You can get condoms at the grocery store, gas station and most strip club restrooms, so i've never really seen the need for a store dedicated to condoms. (Continued…)
Adam Tvinnereim
posted 9/02/08 @ 9:22 AM MST
Wow, Boise State continues to surprize me everyday. And this includes the over the top straight edge pricks at the arbiter that continue to push their own christian puritan college lifestyle, along with their censorship of the drinking to get drunk, pot smoking, sex crazed student body. (Continued…)
Joe Shmoe
posted 9/03/08 @ 2:00 PM MST
A condom ad isn't gonna make young people run out and have sex. Young people are going to have sex anyway, with or without a condom. So if you're gonna, then use one. (Continued…)
nygrump
posted 9/03/08 @ 2:28 PM MST
ads for condoms for adults? OUTRAGEOUS!
however, killing Iraqi civilians continues unabated, as well as arresting independent journalists in the USA. (Continued…)
Post a Comment