Condoms are (ahem) Growing... and Advice From Blackstone

CPG Innovation at its best - the Pronto Condom applicator

Amongst the sensationalism of Blackstone Group's Steve Schwartzman's opinion that 45% of the world's wealth has been destroyed, some common sense is hidden. Where are there investment opportunities? Boring old Consumer Packaged Goods.

In fact, this trend is also brought out Time article. Time asked Nielsen what product area are growing and what is contracting. The big winners were ways to stay home and avoid spending money out: Hence the interest not only in the "poor man's opera", but also baking ingredients and cheap alcohol to drink at home.

The losers? Bottled Water, cough and cold remedies and sports trading cards.

So - as it ever was, marketers have to go to where these consumers are going - and they are going home to bake brownies, drown their sorrows and escape in their lover's arms...