The contraceptive mourned by Seinfeld’s Elaine when it was pulled off shelves in 1995 has a new look and is launching a multimedia campaign to go with it.
Today’s Sponge, an over-the-counter, 24-hour birth control, has been updated to appeal to a “whole new generation of women,” said manufacturer Synova Healthcare Group in a press release.
The birth control method was pulled from shelves in the mid-1990s due to manufacturing problems.
Synova acquired the rights to the contraceptive in January of this year from Allendale Pharmaceuticals, which re-launched the product in 2003 following an eight-year hiatus.
The sponge prevents pregnancy by blocking the cervix and absorbing seamen into its foam consistency. The product also uses the spermicide nonoxynol 9 to kill sperm, according to the manufacturer.
In a Season 7 episode of Seinfeld, Jerry’s female side-kick Elaine scours New York City for the sponge — her favorite contraception — after learning the product was being pulled from shells.
After hoarding numerous cases of the spongy birth control, Elaine stretches her supply by putting her boyfriend through a series of tests in order to determine if he is “sponge-worthy.”
Today’s Sponge is hormone-free and 89 to 91 percent effective in preventing pregnancy when used correctly, according to Synova.
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