CUSTOMER
Navamedic ASA
YEAR
2024–2025
WORK
Campaigns
Media relations
Content creation
Research
Visual communication & design
A campaign that broke the silence – an erectile dysfunction treatment became a sales success
One in three (31%) Finnish men suffering from erectile dysfunction have not sought any kind of help or treatment for their condition. In November 2024, Navamedic, a nordic pharma company, introduced to the Finnish market the first non-prescription topical treatment for erectile dysfunction, Eroxon. Our goal was to accelerate Eroxon’s commercial success and to drive a cultural shift in public discussion: men’s sexual health must be something that can be talked about.
Challenge
Erectile dysfunction is a common condition among Finnish men. According to research, 37% of Finnish men over the age of 18 have personal experience of erectile dysfunction. In population terms, this means well over 800,000 men. One in three (31%) men suffering from erectile dysfunction have not sought any kind of help or treatment for their condition. An equal share (31%) feel that the topic is either difficult or very difficult to talk about.
In November 2024, Navamedic was introducing to the Finnish market the first non-prescription topical medicinal product for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Eroxon gel is a clinically proven medical device that helps achieve an erection within 10 minutes.
Erectile problems carry a strong stigma, which made planning communication challenging. As many as one in three (31%) men have not sought any kind of help for their situation, and half of them (16%) have not even talked about the issue with anyone. In addition, traditional orally administered prescription medications for erectile dysfunction hold a very strong position in Finland.
Solution
The qualitative objective was to create a shift in the culture of discussion: it must be possible to talk about men’s sexual health.
We wanted to inform men suffering from erectile dysfunction, as well as their partners, that a new non-prescription product had entered the market, one that is easy and safe to use and can work in as little as ten minutes. The commercial objective was to sell 25,000 units within the first four months.
For the launch, we produced a wide range of content, from website materials to advertisements and in-pharmacy marketing materials.
Earned media was selected as the most important communication channel for the launch, with a particular focus on large-reach national media outlets.
Media activities were supported by a study conducted in collaboration with Taloustutkimus, a full-service Finnish market research company, which examined how common erectile dysfunction is among the Finnish population. Respondents were also asked about their attitudes toward erectile dysfunction and how it has affected their lives. A dedicated press release was created based on the research findings, highlighting the prevalence of the condition: over 800,000 adult Finnish men suffer from it. In addition, a separate press release was prepared about the new product.
In the launch webinar for journalists, the external spokespersons were a well-known Finnish urologist and a sexologist. The urologist brought a medical perspective to the discussion on erectile dysfunction, while the sexologist challenged the conversation by emphasizing why it is important to talk about men’s health issues without stigma. The webinar also presented the research results and the Eroxon product.
Through exclusive interviews, we ensured the widest possible media coverage in major national outlets.
Results
The launch campaign was highly successful and exceeded expectations. During the launch, a total of 15 media hits were secured in national media outlets, with a combined readership of 22.2 million. The most significant media coverage was achieved on the morning TV show MTV Huomenta Suomi, as well as in Iltalehti, Ilta-Sanomat, Hufvudstadsbladet, and Me Naiset.
The commercial objectives were greatly exceeded: more than 28,000 packages of Eroxon were sold during the first four months.
“The agency’s committed and strategic approach in both the planning and execution phases was admirable.
They familiarized themselves very thoroughly with how erectile dysfunction is currently treated in Finland and what the official care pathway is. They also provided us with commercially important information, such as the price levels of competing prescription drugs and how doctors treat patients who consult them about erectile dysfunction. This helped us to understand the market better and provided a solid basis for our launch campaign choices.
The agency had excellent background information on potential spokespersons, which enabled us to select the most suitable partners for us and our product.
The project management was smooth and confident, and we always felt that we were in good hands, even though I am based in Norway and am less familiar with the Finnish market.
We couldn’t have chosen a better partner for the launch of Eroxon in Finland.”
– Maria Tverraaen, Brand Manager, Consumer Health, Navamedic ASA
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