Our brief was to drive awareness, and increase online sales, of prescription treatments available for men on the Lloydspharmacy Online Doctor Service. Specifically we were tasked with tripling annual sales of prescriptions for erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation and hair loss from £2m to £6m.
Our research gave us an understanding of the barriers to asking a general practitioner/pharmacist for advice, namely embarrassment, time, privacy issues, denial. We also gained insight into the age that these conditions are more likely to occur. And also the demographic profile of Online Doctor customers. Another factor was how female partners could influence heterosexual males.
The campaign – using a line-up of men with 'cheeky hats' – uses humour to precisely and sensitively craft a message proving these conditions are normal and easily treated. National press combined reach with the ability to prove the conditions are acceptable ('if this is in The Sun, it must be normal'). Tabloid back pages and broadsheet sports supplements were used tactically to raise awareness and drive response.
Over three months the campaign prompted 38% more visits to the Online Doctor website. Revenue increased by 44% in the same time frame. Online Doctor sales continued to beat the weekly sales target for nine weeks following the launch of the campaign. This kind of sustained sales had never been achieved before.