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The 'safe ride home' sampling campaign, developed by agency PR4, for Church & Dwight UK's Trojan brand, will kick off on July 14 for six weeks, with the support of Brighton and Hove cabs.

The initiative has been designed to give consumers a chance to try the condoms at a time with they are most likely to need them and will involve 30,000 samples.

Passengers can request a sample, which comes in a discreet envelope, containing two free Trojan Shared Pleasure condoms and an information leaflet telling people more about the range and to encourage healthy sex and drive sales.

A number of restrictions have been put in place to ensure samples reach the appropriate people with condoms only available on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays after a 10.30pm watershed and are given at taxi drivers' discretion.

Chris Nutley, co-owner of Radio Cabs, said: "When Trojan approached us we thought this was a very good idea. We look after thousands of passengers every week, mostly young people out socialising at night. If we can help make a difference here in Brighton, we're more than happy to help."

The campaign comes at a time that sexually transmitted diseases have risen dramatically in recent years with as many as one in nine people now believed to be carrying some kind of sexual infection.

Brighton was selected as it attracts many party goers and after statistics revealed that cases of syphilis rose a staggering 518%, chlamydia by 285% and gonorrhoea by 27.5%.

If successful, the campaign could extend to other parts of the country.

Neale Hunt, of the marketing agency Media Therapy, said: "The whole idea of this initiative is to make condoms available to those who may need them at the appropriate time.

"After a night out, many people find themselves in a position where they do not have condoms and often decide to take a risk. By making Trojan available en route to home, there is no excuse and the embarrassment factor of 'have you got a condom?' is removed as it has been given to both of them."

Trojan has become well-known for its high-profile campaigns, including the award-winning sex olympics viral campaign, and its first television advertising, which showed a woman appearing to have an orgasm.

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