Is there a case study or any literature on the marketing strategy
behind Viagra specifically related to men openly admitting to sexual
dysfunction? Simply and bluntly put, how did they get men who would
never admit to "not getting it up" to suddenly visit their docs and admit just
that?

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Clarification of Question by sailguy-ga on 14 Mar 2003 03:03 PST

Thanks so far, I think that Viagra is a marketing phenom as much as a
medical advancement. The answer probably lies in marketing strategy
reviews or articles.

I suspect that many of them, out of embarrassment, don't: they order
viagra on-line from Canadian or offshore sources.

As for the ones who do, when they see young and middle-aged, handsome,
tan men on TV -- in the company of beautiful women -- saying things
like, "Now I can really be myself", it takes some of the stigma away;
after all, if these gorgeous guys can admit it and seek help, why
can't they?

Furthermore isn't "E.D." such a nice, neutral label compared to the
emasculating label "impotence"? By inventing a new term for the
condition, especially with an abbreviation that could standy for
ANYTHING, the pharmaceutical companies have made it as easy as
possible for men to not feel like they're horribly inadequate because
they have a biological condition that requires a little assistance.

What's more, with the gorgeous men and their babes, what better way
could the pharm companies have come up with to persuade men that DON'T
need assistance that they should buy it, too?

Just my 2cents worth. ;-)

well.. I guess sometimes they overcome their fear because the reward
is greater than the risk (that is, the promise of always being able to
get it up again is worth the temporary embarassment.) This is
especially so in places where a high premium is placed on this sort of
thing, and 'losing face' is not that big a deal.

"Most men who have ED are too embarrassed to bring up the subject 
8 out of 10 men want their physicians to initiate the discussion 
71% believe their concerns would not be recognized as medical problems
Many younger men may be unwilling to admit to their physicians or
themselves that they have difficulties
More than 50% of men in the United States 40 to 70 years old suffer
from ED to some degree, yet approximately 70% of these men go
untreated"

Viagra.com
http://www.viagra.com/professional/managing/definition.asp

"Many men fail to seek help for impotence because they are afraid of
damaging their 'macho' image, according to a study. Research carried
out at Canterbury Christ Church University College found that many men
are so afraid of damaging their image that they deny any knowledge of
treatments for impotence, such as Viagra. The study revealed that men
believe they would 'lose face' with other men if they were taking
Viagra."

BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/919756.stm

Endorsements don't hurt:

http://www.companyladies.com/sex-sportsfan-2.htm
..."Texas Rangers outfielder Rafael Palmeiro and NASCAR race driver
Mark Martin both endorse Viagra and you've probably seen their
commercials and ads throughout electronic and print media..."

http://www.sportspickle.com/features/volume1/11282001-ripken.html
..."Cal Ripken, known for his 2,632 consecutive games record, will be
the next celebrity endorser of Viagra, following on the heels of
former Senator Bob Dole and NASCAR driver Mark Martin..."

--Cynthia