Rejected Viagra Sponsorships.
Posted by: eDrugStore Staff in Health News November 22, 2010 0 5316 Views.
Now that Pfizer is ending their Viagra sponsorships with everyone from Major League Baseball to NASCAR, they need to find new ways of getting the Viagra brand in front of consumers. Here’s a list of new Viagra sponsorships that were considered—and rejected.
1) Leaning Tower of Pisa.
When you think of enduring erections, this 700-year-old Italian tower certainly comes to mind. And, seeing as the tower used to lean 5.5 degrees and now only leans 4 degrees, you can see why a male enhancement drug like Viagra would be an ideal sponsor.
However, market research showed that people thought the name of the structure was the “Leaning Tower of Pizza,” which most men associated with being alone, ordering takeout pizza and masturbating into their dorm-room sink.
2) Smart Car.
When the Smart Car started showing up in the U.S. back in 2008, it created quite a stir. Stylish, cool and cute, you could see why someone would want to slap a corporate logo on one of these ubiquitous urban vehicles.
In initial meetings, Pfizer executives wondered if advertising on such a tiny car made it seem like Viagra only added to a man’s shortcomings. But working with engineers from Ford, Pfizer found that by popping a few Viagra into one of these little guys, it would instantly turn into a Lincoln Town car.
3) Jacob’s Amish Furniture Barn.
Passion. Excitement. Virility. Sex. These are things that come to mind when you hear the word “Viagra.”
So why on earth would Pfizer ever think of sponsoring a line of Amish furniture?
Apparently, Pfizer CEO Jeffrey B. Kindler likes to vacation in Pennsylvania Dutch country, where he visited a popular woodcraft shop owned by one Jacob Stoltzfus. Kindler was impressed by the long line of people waiting to buy the furniture.
Jacob agreed to the sponsorship deal because he had been sniffing shellac all day. Later, Pfizer cancelled the sponsorship when they found out Jacob was trying to compete against them with a male enhancement product of his own: shellac.
4) Charles Manson’s Forehead.
Pfizer has been concerned about new alternatives to Viagra like Cialis and Levitra. Looking for ways to appeal to their core Baby Boomer demographic in an edgy way, the company explored advertising on Charlie Manson’s forehead.
The famed criminal, who once carved a swastika into his forehead during his trial, was also known for his hypnotic power over women and insatiable sexual appetite.
A deal was discussed, but talks broke down when Pfizer wanted exclusive rights to the forehead and Manson demanded the company “create the Helter Skelter army of snakes, so I can crawl out of my hole and rule the world.”
5) Michelangelo’s David.
This was meant to be one of those “less is more” ad campaigns, featuring a picture of David with a caption underneath saying “Viagra. Just watch what it does for him.” Eventually rejected by Director of Marketing Mike Hobinsky as “just too gay and creepy.”
6) Starbucks Double Espresso Cups.
Slogan: it will keep you up all night!
Talks broke down over when the control freaks at Starbucks demanded doctors wear green aprons, call their nurses “baristas,” and order Viagra dosage in “Tall, Grande and Venti.”
7) Statue of the god Priapus in Pompeii, Italy.
You’d think a statue of the Greek god of sex, known for his sexual appetite and huge penis, would be a natural place for Pfizer to place its logo.
Then one of the scientists pointed out that priapism, a sometimes deadly side effect of Viagra, takes its name from this guy . Priapism causes your penis to fill up with too much blood and stay erect for hours, resulting in blood clots, stroke and amputation.
Even with Viagra, it seems there can sometimes be too much of a good thing.
Rejected Viagra Sponsorships, Blog
