WPP Team led by Y&R London launches Pfizer’s Viagra Connect, tackling decades of stigma and stereotype

A WPP Health & Wellness team comprised of Y&R London, Wavemaker, Burson Cohn & Wolfe, Geometry UK and Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide has been tasked by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare to support the launch of – available for the first time without a prescription from UK pharmacies – to encourage the millions of men suffering from erectile dysfunction to take action.

“4.3 million men in the UK experience erectile problems,” said Y&R global brand director Nick Burstin, “But after decades of social and personal stigma, many of them are too embarrassed to do anything about it – they feel like they are the only ones going through the problem. It was our challenge to highlight just how common their situation actually is.”

The first phase of creative for Viagra Connect from Y&R London, launching on 16^th April, uses highly contextualised print and out of home advertising to help men understand the ubiquity and relative normality of erectile dysfunction. The campaign uses real world examples to vividly bring to life the number of sufferers, in an attempt to make the statistic of 4.3 million both more tangible and more relevant to consumers.

“4.3 million is an incredible number of men,” said Y&R London Chief Creative Officer Jon Burley. “That’s enough men to fill every major British stadium, more men than there are words in the English language and more men than there are flights in and out of the UK in an entire year. We wanted to utilise the power of such comparative statistics to creatively deliver the message that erectile dysfunction is a common condition that can be treated without the need for a prescription.”

The campaign is supported by media strategy from Wavemaker which will leverage multimedia channels including social and content partnerships to engage with men and build normality and awareness around the condition.

The UK launch of Viagra Connect has already been supported by far-reaching PR activity conducted by Burson Cohn & Wolfe that included impactful editorial at the time of licence approval in November 2017 as well as earned media coverage during the recent in-store launch.

Geometry UK has delivered strategically-led shopper communications, research into category positioning and activation of ground-breaking, innovative trade engagement.

Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide has developed comprehensive educational and training materials for pharmacists so that they can confidently and appropriately supply the product to eligible men as well as educational content for the consumer website.

Aurore Bourdeau, Senior Brand Manager for Viagra Connect at Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, said: “The launch of Viagra Connect in the UK provides men with a new, convenient route of access for the treatment of their erectile dysfunction, however it is important that any personal barriers to managing ED are overcome. The integrated marketing plan developed and executed by the WPP agency team aims to normalise erectile dysfunction and support men in recognising and treating this often-debilitating condition.”

Source: WPP Health & Wellness

  Burson Cohn & Wolfe, Campaign, Consumer Healthcare, Geometry UK, Marketing, Ogilvy CommonHealth Worldwide, Pfizer, Stereotype, Stigma, Viagra Connect, Wavemaker, WPP Health & Wellness, Y&R London