We've all seen countless ads about erectile dysfunction, and we all know the tropes: Visual metaphors, jokes and (thanks to the pills kicking in presumably) couples aimlessly fawning over each other.
It's been a pretty cut-and-paste approach to marketing ED drugs for years, and the repetition has made Viagra and its competitor brands the stuff of advertising parody.
So I was surprised and admittedly skeptical when one of our writers, Sara Spary in London, said she'd found a lovely and compelling ad for Viagra. But she was right.
"Love Story" from VMLY&R London, featuring animation from Sau Paulo's Zombie Studio and production from BlinkInk, paints an all-too-familiar portrait of a couple separated not by distance but by devices, distractions, work stress and the other complexities of daily life.
Unlike the many ED drug ads that lean all their weight on somewhat inscrutable metaphors (separate outdoor bath tubs, anyone?), this one tells a direct story of how erectile dysfunction is less THE roadblock in a relationship than one of several—the biggest of which is often communication.
“Much beyond a little blue pill, this campaign is a complex message about modern masculinity and intimacy in relationships,” said Tamryn Kerr, creative director at VMLY&R London. “I hope it will be seen alongside some of the most powerful recent advertising that has challenged and changed societal norms for the better.”
It's definitely a spot you'll want to check out—and a good reminder to any creatives who complain that the product is what's holding them back from bold and innovative ideas. If a Viagra ad can be this good, just imagine how many other brands and categories could be modernized too.
David Griner
Creative and Innovation Editor, Adweek
David.Griner@Adweek.com
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