The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

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By Noel Young, Correspondent

October 1, 2014 | 3 min read

Viagra is trying a new approach in its TV advertising in the US starting this week, having a woman encourage men to get treatment when their sex life is a let-down.

For the past few years Pfizer has relied on “metaphorical ads featuring older gents using horses to get their trucks out of the mud,” according to AdAge.

Now for the more direct approach: Having a woman encourage the guys to get treatment for erectile dysfunction.

The new spot from BBDO, New York, shows a woman with a British accent talking about when things don't work out with 'You and your honey'. She says, "You know what, plenty of guys have this issue . . . not just getting an erection but keeping it."

She goes on: "If ED is stopping what you started, ask your doctor about Viagra." Then looking extremely alluring, not to say sexy, she goes for a stroll on the beach.

British accent, maybe, but BBDO in London tell me that the ad is not being shown in the UK .

In the last campaign by the previous agency McGarryBowen, the most recent version featured a fishing-boat captain.

The new ad featuring a woman represents a new creative direction from BBDO, which took over the account last year, said Adage..

Victor Clavelli, vice president, marketing of Pfizer says Viagra's approach since the drug was launched in 1998 has been mainly about "subtle innuendo."

He said, "No one has taken directly the perspective of a partner and used that as a way to motivate men. We think we're doing that here."

John Osborn, president of BBDO, New York, said, "This is an example of a very simple, straightforward story well told via an execution that I would say uses direct, honest, compassionate approach to simply let men with ED know they are not alone.

“It was our belief that this approach would put men at ease."

Pfizer spent $176 million on measured media last year on Viagra, according to Kantar Media, largely on sports broadcasts.

Writer Noel Young adds: "The video attached to this spot comes from YouTube, whose headline says it is "the first Viagra ad aimed at women." My view is that this ad is much more clearly aimed at sex-starved men and the simple message is, 'Look what you're missing."