| Erectile Dysfunction
Ad Ups Notch in Drug Battle
April 14, 2004
NEW YORK: She asks in a sultry voice if you
want to know a secret. And when she spills the
beans, she is quite explicit. The latest ad
for an erectile
dysfunction (search) treatment is taking
the battle for dominance in the $2 billion market
up a notch with its frank description of the
medicine's purpose.
The Levitra (search) ad, slated to begin airing
Thursday, features an attractive brunette saying
the drug improves erection quality and how that
experience
increases her partner's desire to "do
this more often."
"For him Levitra works just look at that
smile," she purrs.
Erectile dysfunction advertising has changed
considerably since a somber Bob Dole explained
the medical condition in a 1999 ad paid for
by Pfizer Inc. (PFE), maker of market leader
Viagra.
Levitra's initial ads, which began last fall,
were criticized by some for being too racy and
aggressive. But it was the ad for Cialis (search),
the third entrant into the market, that was
the first product to actually mention erectile
dysfunction in a national television campaign
earlier this year. Still, the Cialis ads are
more subtle than those for Levitra.
Analysts said Levitra's blunt style reflects
its underdog status as well as the more competitive,
mature market place. They say Levitra has little
that distinguishes it from Viagra. Cialis lasts
for 36 hours, while its competitors expire after
about four hours.
"Levitra needs to be more aggressive to
compete," said David Moskowitz, an analyst
at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey. Even so, he predicted,
"Levitra is going to be the loser in the
battle."
Still, with such a large market at stake, no
player will give up easily. The makers of all
three drugs are offering free trial prescriptions.
Pfizer went a step further last month and offered
patients their seventh prescription free. In
a program with some doctors, Cialis marketers
Eli Lilly
& Co. (LLY) and Icos Corp. (ICOS) offer
to pay patients unsatisfied with its products
a free prescription for a rival drug.
David Pernock, senior vice president of sales
and marketing at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), describes
the new Levitra campaign as "flirtatious
and direct." He said Glaxo and marketing
partner Bayer Pharmaceuticals Inc. (BAY) aren't
trying to push any envelopes with their ads.
They just want to present Levitra as a quality
product that works fast and gets good results.
The ad's conversational style with the woman
speaking directly to the camera also sets it
apart from other campaigns.
Still, he acknowledged that because of the
ad's language networks may choose to air it
only after 9 p.m.
Whether the ad changes prescription patterns
remains to be seen.
Cialis and Levitra debuted in the second half
of last year. Cialis has grabbed a greater share
of new prescriptions, according to Impact Rx
(search), which tracks prescription trends.
According to Impact Rx, which tracks prescription
trends, Cialis' share of new prescriptions was
consistently above 40 percent in February and
March. Viagra's was in the mid-30 percent range
while Levitra's was in the mid to low 20 percent
range.
"In this point in time, we are pleased
with our performance," Nancy Bryan, vice
president of marketing for men's health at Bayer,
said of Levitra. "We've done an impressive
job in our launch. This is not a sprint."
Sun Trust Robinson Humphrey analyst Bert Hazlett
expects Viagra sales to be flat this year at
about $1.9 billion. He predicts Cialis sales
will reach $600 million while Levitra will lag
behind at $300 million.
By 2007, Hazlett forecasts Viagra's sales will
have dipped slightly to $1.8 billion while Cialis
revenues will have advanced to $1.3 billion.
He predicts Levitra sales will total $600 million.
"There is no reason for anyone to take
Levitra. It is almost identical to Viagra,"
Hazlett said.
Cialis' marketers Eli
Lilly & Co and Icos Corp. , have no plans
to substantially change their campaign. The
ads mention erectile dysfunction because it
was the only way the companies believed they
could fully explain the benefits of 36-hour
window of opportunity.
The first ad featured middle age couples, nuzzling
to jazz music with a tag line that says, "If
a relaxing moment turns into the right moment,
will you be ready? Newer ads will have a similar
theme.
"We feel we've got a unique message that
fits the needs of a couple," said Matt
Beebe, U.S. brand team leader for Cialis at
Lilly.
Pfizer spokesman Daniel Watts said the company
had no plans to mention erectile dysfunction
or spice up its ads when it launches a new campaign
later this year.
"We have reached iconic stature. People
associate erectile dysfunction with Viagra,"
said Watts.
Still, he conceded the landscape was becoming
more competitive, and said the giveaway program
was designed to enhance loyalty and reward men
who stay with Viagra.
"It is a different world out there no
question," said Watts.
source:-http://www.foxnews.com
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