Good Vibrations: Trojan Gives Away Vibrators Via NYC Hot Dog Carts [Update]

Hot dog carts are icons of the American entrepreneurial spirit. And two that are roaming the streets of New York this week fit that spirit in a bold new way.

Instead of being filled with firm, all-beef dogs, however, these carts will be filled with (cough!) vibrators. Thanks to the folks at Trojan Vibrations, 10,000 of the things will be handed out gratis from the carts this week, according to the New York Times. Talk about good vibrations.

The carts will feature the company’s brand as well as the inevitable hot dog puns such as “Relish the moment” and “Getcha vibes here!” You can be sure joy-seeking New Yorkers will be lining up at the so-called pleasure carts on Wednesday and Thursday when the largest vibrator giveaway ever is scheduled to take place.

According to the press release, "The carts will hit hot spots around Manhattan and will be giving away free Trojan Tri-Phoria (MSRP $39.99) and Trojan Pulse Intimate Massagers (MSRP $29.99) to thousands of New Yorkers seeking a little pleasure pick-me-up." The two-day NYC vibe-a-thon gets rolling at 11am at 6th Avenue at 48th Street.

For those who need to know where the carts are as they continuing roaming the Big Apple, info will be posted continuously on the Trojan Vibration Facebook page. This isn’t the first promotion for these products, either. Last summer, Trojan embarked on a mobile "Vibe truck tour" to share the love.

The company spent $10.5 million to advertise its vibrators in 2011, the Times reports, and it has gotten the devices into such everyday retailers as Walmart, Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid. Sales growth of sexual enhancement devices in drugstores and mass retailers in the last year has gone up 23.2 percent over the previous year, the Times notes.

Those kinds of numbers are bringing a whole different kind of joy to Trojan’s bean-counters. This is a situation, it appears, where everybody wins — provided you get to the cart on time.

Update: The vibrator givewaway was shut down Wednesday for not having the correct permits, but its street teams were back on the streets dispensing electro-goodwill on Thursday — as Trojan cheekily updated frustrated fans on the product's Facebook page: