Viagra opts for soft sell in SAR outdoor push

HONG KONG - Pfizer has launched a tongue-in-cheek HK$5 million (US$600,000) outdoor drive for erectile dysfunction drug Viagra. The ad features a visual of a cucumber, long with the tagline "It is hard to believe".

“Our client Pfizer has previously conducted press conferences focusing on an educational purpose, using a fruit analogy to represent the hardness of men,” explained Shirley Ho, GM at Sudler & Hennessey.

“Grade one is marshmallow, grade two is peeled banana, grade three is unpeeled banana and grade four is cucumber. This marketing concept has also been used in other Southeast Asian markets, along with Taiwan and Australia”.

The execution was initially rejected by the Department of Transport before an appeal to the Obscene Article Tribunal deemed it acceptable for public viewing.

Viagra remains the market leader, capturing 44 percent share, ahead of its two main rivals – Cialas, which has 25 percent share, and Levitra.

The new outdoor advertising represents an evolution of Viagra’s creative strategy, after a previous execution featured a tiger holding an attractive woman along with the tagline ‘I will be back!’.

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