A&U Magazine - March 2005
Getting a Bead

April is STD Awareness Month. If you’re looking for a new product to teach young adults about prevention, then you may want to consider The Carnival Condom Bead. The inventor, Brian Kalakie, created the patented product while on a spring break during his college days so it’s no surprise that the biggest clients have been colleges and universities across the country. Schools such as Michigan State University and Texas A&M have used the product with great success.

The Carnival Condom Bead is an exciting product because you can use it to “educate while you celebrate!” Kalakie states. “With the Carnival condom Bead, you can promote a serious message in a lighthearted manner.” The Carnival Condom Bead is a Mardi Gras beaded necklace with a condom and STD awareness message attached; it comes in red, blue, green, gold, and purple. “It is more effective than brochures because young adults are interested in the bead itself,” says Kalakie. They think it’s a great novelty (item). By promoting condoms at various celebrations, people feel more comfortable to talk about sex among their peers.”

Through March 17, Kalakie will donate fifteen percent of all Carnival Condom Bead retail sales to various organizations, including The Magic Johnson Foundation. Carnival Condom Beads (and their cards) can be customized for any occasion: Gay Pride, St. Patrick’s Day, Spring Break, Mardi Gras, or any carnival-style celebration. For more information, log on to www.carnivalcondombeads.com or contact Brian Kalakie at 586-792-6014.