FirstMed Consulting Blog

The treatments for erectile dysfunction, namely Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, get a lot of press time. The pharmaceutical giants that produce them put a lot of time and money into ensuring that their advertising campaigns are duly noticed. What better way to grab attention than to use a celebrity to plug your product. We would like our customers to vote on which celebrity is the best spokesperson for ED

Bob Dole (Born 1923): Republican candidate in the 1996 U.S. Presidential election. In 1999, Bob Dole, who helped test Viagra, appeared in an advertisement sponsored by Pfizer and urged people to get help for the problem, bringing a few seconds of talk about ED (erectile dysfunction) into Americans’ homes for the first time in history. Dole, who had prostate cancer surgery in 1991, does not specifically endorse Viagra in the advertisement. Instead, he tells people to see their doctor and gives a number for the U.S. Urological Foundation. Pfizer said Dole was being paid for the ads but it would not disclose the amount involved. “When I was first diagnosed with prostate cancer I was primarily concerned with ridding myself of the cancer, but secondly, I was concerned about post-operative side-effects like erectile dysfunction, ED, often called impotence,” “There’s a giggle factor. I’ve heard all the Viagra jokes. I’ve been the butt of many of those jokes. But my view is that that may go with the territory

Pele (Born 1940): Brazilian soccer legend, Edson Arantes do Nascimento, known globally as “Pele,” is regarded by many as the greatest footballer of all time. In 2002, Pele headed a worldwide ad campaign launched by the Pfizer pharmaceutical company, taping a series of television ads plugging the benefits of Viagra. “There are loads of men with erectile problems who don’t see a doctor out of embarrassment,” Pele said through a spokesman. “I hope this campaign helps a lot of them.” Whether or not the legend needs help with his game remains a mystery.

Jerry Hall (Born 1956): English American supermodel and actress known also for being Mick Jagger’s long-time companion. Hall was recently appointed as the “Global Ambassador for [Levitra’s] Erectile Dysfunction Campaign.” Bayer HealthCare, is hoping that the global icon will inject much needed sex appeal to their marketing strategy. Hall has declared: “I’m working with Bayer HealthCare to encourage men to confront erectile dysfunction and take action. It might be a conversation with your doctor or maybe with your partner, but it’s never too late to get the most from your love life. A healthy love life is not and should not be the preserve of those in their 20s and 30s. It’s important at all ages”. Hall is the perfect face for Levitra as she is a global sex symbol who embodies an open, confident and bold approach to sex and relationships. According to the Texan -”My mother said it was simple to keep a man, you must be a maid in the living room, a cook in the kitchen and a whore in the bedroom. I said I’d hire the other two and take care of the bedroom bit.”

Let us know which you feel is the best approach to pharma-marketing.