Consumers these days are so lacking in confidence that all the therapy in the world probably couldn't help them. The housing market is in a tailspin, commodities are soaring and gas prices are nearing $4 a gallon. It is against this backdrop that Procter & Gamble Co. (NYSE: PG) reported better-than-expected first quarter results.

Profit rose to $2.71 billion, or 82 cents per share, compared with $2.51 billion, or 74 cents per share, a year ago. Revenue rose 9% to $20.46 billion from $18.69 billion last year. The Cincinnati-based company was expected to earn 81 cents on revenue of $21.44 billion, according to Thomson Financial.

"P&G delivered strong results in-line with long-term targets in a challenging economic and competitive environment with broad-based sales and share growth, earnings growth and overhead cost improvement," said Chief Executive AG Lafley in the earnings release.

Shares of the maker of Tide (my favorite detergent) and Pampers (our family's preferred diaper for my son) have slumped more than 10% this year under-performing rivals including Church & Dwight Co. (NYSE: CHD) and Colgate-Palmolive Co. (NYSE: CL). Uniliver Plc. (NYSE: UL) has fared slightly worse than P&G.

This week in Advertising Age:

Where the rubber doesn't meet the road -- While erectile dysfunction ads have become as common as cell phone ads on television, the networks have been much less receptive to condom ads. Companies such as Church & Dwight Co.'s (NYSE: CHD) Trojan are eager to make buys during shows such as the new CBS show Swingtown, but face stiff opposition from the networks.

Free bikes in Chicago? In Paris, outdoor advertising company JC Decaux (EPA:DEC) maintains a fleet of 10,000 free bicycles on the street that are available for free use by anyone for 30 minutes, and longer by rental. The city repays Decaux by granting it exclusive rights to market at more than 1,000 publicly-owned sites around town. Chi-town mayor Richard M. Daley recently visited Paris to check out the idea for possible adoption back home.