Erectile dysfunction ads tend to follow a pattern: They usually show rugged, good-looking older men doing manly things, sometimes with a woman in the background. A new ad for Viagra, however, bucks that trend by featuring just a woman — a first for the company. The ad is also the first time someone in a Viagra commercial says "erection" rather than "erectile dysfunction" or "ED."
The new strategy for Pfizer, the maker of Viagra, comes at a time when the company is looking to remain competitive even after it loses the monopoly on the drug. Its European patent expired 15 months ago — resulting in an 8 percent sales drop as generics flooded the market — and the U.S. patent is set to expire in 3 years. The new marketing strategy also seeks to change the behavior of men who may be suffering from ED but are unwilling to talk to their doctor. Half of men over 40 suffer from ED, occasionally or always, and only 10 percent take medicine regularly.
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