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VIAGRA

Many men will tell you they find the sight of a woman wearing a negligee far more provocative than a woman wearing nothing at all. It seems that with sex, wondering is half the fun. The "Bleep" campaign for Viagra plays on this theme.

It's also a clever solution to the challenge in advertising drugs to consumers, as government regulations forbid a connection between the product and the condition it treats.

But since Viagra is one of the best-known brands in the world, the challenge has never been to create awareness, but rather to increase people's comfort level. Taxi has always used laughter - a universal cure - to break the tension men feel about erectile dysfunction (ED).

For five years, Viagra was the only oral ED treatment on the market. However, that changed in 2004 with the introduction of two competitors. Viagra turned its attention to retaining its status as both the category leader and an iconic brand.

To that end, this year's campaign shows men who are so pleased with the results of Viagra they're willing to share it with anyone in hearing range. The particulars, of course, are bleeped out, but the response of the people gathered round these guys, whether on the putting green or around the water cooler, makes the conversation pretty clear.

The "Bleep" campaign has been successful, as Viagra retains its number-one position by a two-to-one margin. And in the advertising realm, the appeal of "Bleep" has gone well beyond Canadian borders: It was Canada's only Gold Lion for TV in Cannes this year.

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