With its first-ever UK OTC launch, Cialis Together sought to shatter the performative myth men have carried their entire life and normalize ED treatment.

Launching as a challenger brand, we had big goals to spark the next sexual revolution and transform how the world thinks about, talks about, and treats ED. Building on the insight that men want to respond naturally to their partner when turned on, we needed a campaign that stood out by bringing to life the dynamic experience one gets from enjoying sex without pressure—the kind you get with Cialis Together’s 36-hour window of efficacy.

We focused on the following:

•Drive awareness with an impactful commercial that breaks through category stereotypes by clearly communicating unique product benefits.

•Develop brand affinity with authenticity and values that resonate with consumers.

•Compel men and their partners to buy Cialis Together by attracting non-treaters and motivating existing treaters to switch.

How do you make sex fun again for men who feel increasing anxiety to perform in the wake of ED and pressure reinforced by the category? Our aim was to radically shift the ED mindset away from a state of anxiety to a state of freedom through the natural celebration of play. We created a supercharged world where diverse couples enjoyed their unique “lucky day and a half” filled with spontaneous moments of fun, playful intimacy and connection, thanks to Cialis Together’s 36-hour window.

To achieve a visually ownable, integrated, and premium world of play, we used typography to animate brand elements. We brought 2 “i” letters to life to mimic couples having playful sex in a cheeky fashion, building the brand’s personality and encouraging men to have fun with sex. This was incorporated with lighthearted narratives across channels, which resonated with audiences as a positive expression of sex.

Our target audience was men who suffer from erection issues. The majority have not been diagnosed, and it can take nearly a decade to seek treatment. Many are in denial or resigned to the fact that this is their life now. They worry they won’t be able to have sex, and if they can’t, they feel like they’re letting their partner down. Consequently, they face significant emotional and psychological issues, like anxiety, shame, emasculation, and isolation. They want something that gives them better control of their erection, so they can feel confident to enjoy sex again.

Our 3 priority segments are at different stages of their ED journey, so we reached them with tailored communications. Our primary target needed motivation to switch from Viagra to Cialis OTC. The remaining segments needed more ED education to motivate them to stop settling, recognize the signs, and start treating.

We designed an omnichannel campaign that set the brand apart, activated all segments, and pushed them down the funnel.

We honed in on:

•Core brand benefits (36-hour window, no prescription, trusted globally by 84M men)

•Simple path to purchase on the brand’s site or their preferred online/local pharmacy

•Loyalty, building a discreet buying experience and packaging

Starting with a bold ad on TV and video-on-demand (VOD), the campaign stretched across touchpoints with nuanced messages that resonated with each segment—never losing the brand’s playful personality. Lighthearted social content drove engagement, while digital (OLV, website, programmatic) served personalized experiences based on segment behaviors. Out-of-home (OOH) was strategically placed by major rail stations to quickly communicate messages to large audiences and normalize cultural conversation around ED.

Seeing men with ED and their partners enjoying a lucky day and a half in a playful and empathetic way increased visibility, engagement, and preference.

Inviting a new chapter of dynamic storytelling rooted in play normalized the cultural conversation around ED by making it more positive and fun. It also caught and sustained the attention of consumers, amassing nearly 500M total impressions from launch in July 2023 to April 2024:

•TV: 343M men, aged 45+ impacted since launch

•VOD/streaming: 33M impressions

•Programmatic: 24M impressions

•Social: 86M impressions

•Digital OOH: 2.6M impressions in 1 week (September 4-10, 2023), 24% over-delivery

•Achieved 17% market share within first 6 months of launch

The TV spot showed popularity amongst viewers, with the highest volume of TVRs (television viewer ratings) delivered amongst ED advertisers from July-October 2023, surpassing 3 major competitors.

It has also caught the attention of industry leaders, winning the 2023 OTC Marketing Awards’ “Launch of the Year.”

In total, the launch campaign communicated a new benchmark for success and a positive new era for sex in culture.