“I’m here to admit that I’m in fact HIV-positive.” Charlie Sheen’s revelation on NBC’s Today show in November 2015 was a defining moment: not only did his disclosure bring to light an issue still shrouded in taboo, for Sheen, it meant taking back control of a deeply personal matter from extortionists and blackmailers. Simply put, it changed everything. Now, HEX is doing the same.
Charlie is a man who needs little in the way of introduction: Hollywood actor, erstwhile hell-raiser, father, philanthropist and life-long Reds fan. He’s also one of just a handful of celebrities to publicly open up about HIV. Celebrity or no, Sheen’s personal life is frankly none of our business, but for the sake of groundwork, here it is: he contracted HIV (“three hard letters to absorb”) in around 2011. He doesn’t know how, or from whom. After years of paying racketeers millions to keep his status secret, he realized, “Enough.” Discussing his condition during that life-changing interview, he talked everything from antiretroviral drugs, to risks of transmission, and much more besides. It’s illuminating, and certainly worth a watch – but dwelling on the past isn’t LELO’s style.
Charlie’s revelation was personal. It was about ending the extortion and taking back control. But his disclosure had bigger repercussions that not even he could have anticipated. Dubbed ‘the Charlie Sheen Effect,’ the actor’s candidness sparked a surge in awareness surrounding HIV and AIDS – and a timely one at that! Not only is condom usage is at an all-time low, STIs are on the rise, including new drug-resistant strains of centuries-old diseases. For HIV in particular, public interest has waned since the epidemic of the 1980s. Despite being in possession of the facts and cognisant of the risks, a dangerous ‘It’ll never happen to me’ attitude prevails.
Charlie’s 2015 TV appearance was a perfect storm: a man as charismatic as he is controversial, his admission coincided with the unprecedented connectivity of our internet age. Instinctively, we turned to our screens, our keyboards, our devices, driving internet searches around HIV a whopping 417% above expected levels on the day of Charlie’s disclosure. More positive still, that same month, condom queries soared 75% higher than usual. Just like that, the ‘Charlie Sheen Effect’ was born.
Needless to say, Charlie was humbled and inspired – as were we: for almost seven years, we’ve been working on a condom to change everything. Structurally different, HEX was created with users, for users, whoever they might be. Hearing an A-list celebrity publicly promote safe sex only served to reinforce our long-held belief: condoms’ availability isn’t the issue; rather, it’s their appeal.
Charlie, meanwhile, went above and beyond: he didn’t just own his past decisions, he leveraged them to make things better. Shortly after that iconic TV appearance he launched charity campaign “Stay Positively Negative” to benefit the Elton John Aids Foundation. He later lent his celebrity credentials to CitoDyn’s ongoing research into a potential HIV therapy, PRO 140. True to form, Charlie shouldered his newly founded ambassador status with typical candour, unflinching honesty, and utmost charisma. LELO HEX was hooked.
Quietly confident, we sent Charlie a sample condom. We started talking: we told him how we felt let down by the big brands, how they’d failed to innovate for almost 70 years, how condoms needed not just a re-brand, but a complete design overhaul. Clearly, we struck a chord. The actor opened up as to his own frustrations with condoms: they slip, they break, they reduce sensation – they’re just not sexy. At the same time of course, few are as acutely aware as Sheen as to condom’s downright necessity.
Charlie Sheen and HEX are a perfect match. Like him, we’re not afraid to ruffle a few feathers, we revel in shattering taboos, and we’re pretty great at what we do. More important, we’re both committed to change. For Charlie, that means different decisions with regard to intimate health. For LELO HEX, it’s about being a catalyst for innovation. The usual suspects have dominated the condom market for too long. We’re firm believers that it’s what you do with it that counts. In other words, a privileged position means little if you don’t use it to make things better.
We’re all about courage, ambition, and making a difference. On these points, LELO HEX and Charlie Sheen see eye to eye. We bring the technology, he brings awareness. What about you?