Situation

• While erectile dysfunction has generated loads of media coverage worldwide, little attention has been paid to the sex lives of women, especially as they enter menopause.
• When VAGIFEM (estradiol vaginal tablet), the first and only vaginal estrogen tablet to treat vaginal dryness, was introduced in 2000 the PR outreach was a failure and did not create a surge of interest in the brand or in the topic of vaginal dryness.
• Conversations with a select group of health reporters and morning show producers indicated that vaginal dryness is a difficult topic to cover.
• Interviews with OB/GYNs revealed that physicians are uncomfortable discussing vaginal dryness with patients.
• Media analysis showed:
  • male sexual dysfunction had been covered almost three times as much as female sexual dysfunction
  • the media is jaded when talking about menopause
  • press coverage on female sexual dysfunction was being generated when linked to a “celebrity” spokesperson

Solution

• With media hesitant to discuss issues, the strategy employed was to 1.) use the allure of sex to emphasize the role VAGIFEM plays in helping women maintain an active sex life during and after menopause and, 2.) engage a celebrity sex expert to deliver the message.
• Dr. Ruth Westheimer, with her long-standing reputation for giving unabashed, straightforward advice on difficult topics was the obvious choice.
• The campaign was launched nationally in the spring of 2005. To bring the campaign to a local level, five SAVE Sex Seminars were hosted in Chicago, Atlanta, Nashville, Phoenix and San Francisco featuring Dr. Ruth as the celebrity “sex expert.”