40 Years Bold

33 Years Ago, Baltimore Freaked Out Over This Orgy Advertisement

Using shock to raise awareness of teen pregnancy

orgy-40bold-content — In the era before the internet, the idea of kids asking questions like this was pretty shocking.Planned Parenthood

Driving relevance means driving growth. Join global brands and industry thought leaders at Brandweek, Sept. 11–14 in Miami, for actionable takeaways to better your marketing. 50% off passes ends April 10.

When it comes to the birds and the bees, most people would agree that a talk between parents and their children is a good idea. Of course, nudging mom and dad to start that squirmy discussion is another matter entirely. Three decades ago, Planned Parenthood devised a novel way to try. In the fall of 1986, billboards and bus posters popped up around Baltimore featuring an inquisitive pre-pubescent boy posing the question: “What’s an Orgy?”

Adweek, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, was among the many media outlets to say uh-oh over this one.