If you’re a six-foot-tall walking condom, you’re bound to get noticed.

And that’s just what Julius Schmid of Canada is banking on with the newest addition to its promotional arsenal.

Richard, as the giant Durex condom is called, will be hitting some of the hotspots this summer, handing out samples of Schmid’s Durex-brand Sheik, Ramses and Titan condoms. Among Richard’s scheduled stops is alternative music festival EdgeFest, to be held June 28 at Molson Park in Barrie, Ont.

Julius Schmid’s colossal flying condom is also back for the summer. A plane used for radio traffic reports on a number of Toronto stations is towing the 36-ft. long, 12-ft. high banner for three one-hour flights a week during morning and evening rush hours.

Sonya Agnew, director of marketing for Julius Schmid, says the giant condom promotions are a good fit with the company’s strategy of using humor to build brand awareness ­ a direction it has taken over the past two-and-a-half years.

‘We took a look at [the messages] out there and it was all pretty serious doom and gloom,’ says Agnew.

She says while most people think you have to take a serious, almost medical, approach to the issue of safe sex, humor worked better in tests with the target market ­ 18- to 24-year-olds.

‘We’ve been using anything that will spark some positive controversy to get people talking about it, to get the message out that safer sex can still be great sex.’

Richard the giant condom has a built-in fan for summer comfort.

Agnew says Julius Schmid’s u.s. operation debuted a condom mascot this March during school break in Panama City, Fla., as part of an mtv promotion. She says the mascot was extremely popular and that everybody wanted their picture taken with it.

Media advertising for Julius Schmid is also getting underway this month from MacLaren McCann, Toronto, the agency hired in February as part of a global consolidation with McCann-Erickson.

The company awarded responsibility for public relations to GCI Communications of Toronto last month.

Print ads are currently appearing in the classified section of Toronto entertainment weekly eye.

The two-line ad is headed with ‘Get Some!’ followed by ‘But not without your Durex Sheik condom!’

A television spot called ‘Dogs & Cats’ launches the second week of June on tv specialty services MuchMusic and MusiquePlus.

In the spot, a Durex Sheik condom is progressively revealed to the sounds of a couple enjoying an intimate interlude, hesitating only to open a condom package.

A dog barking in the background prompts the couple to add their own growls to the ‘dialogue’, ending with a contented ‘purr’ from the woman.

It closes with a super and voice-over of the tag line, ‘Safer sex should still be great sex’ and the Web site address, www.durex.com.

Radio and out-of-home start later this month.

Julius Schmid, Canada’s largest distributor of branded condoms, sells Durex brand made by London International Group plc, the leading manufacturer of branded condoms in the world, with over 21% market share.

Its main competitor in Canada is Trojan from Carter Products.