Advertising Age reports that Procter & Gamble is going to spend $100 million promoting a "transdermal testosterone patch" dubbed Intrinsa that is designed to get women more interested in sex - assuming, of course, that it passes late-stage clinical tests that lead to approval by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
P&G believes that Intrinsa is a "potential blockbuster." Mark Collar, president of global pharmaceuticals for P&G, notes that there is no current approved drug for female sexual dysfunction. P&G is licensing the patch technology from Watson Pharmaceuticals, and says that it is critical for delivering the drug in even amounts without side effects.
While the patch was originally designed for middle-aged, post-menopausal women, P&G executives believe it could have broader, more recreational appeal. This belief probably is borne out by the article in The New York Times last Sunday reporting that Viagra no longer is being used just by middle-aged men with erectile dysfunction, but also by much younger men with demanding girlfriends and performance anxiety.
P&G believes that Intrinsa is a "potential blockbuster." Mark Collar, president of global pharmaceuticals for P&G, notes that there is no current approved drug for female sexual dysfunction. P&G is licensing the patch technology from Watson Pharmaceuticals, and says that it is critical for delivering the drug in even amounts without side effects.
While the patch was originally designed for middle-aged, post-menopausal women, P&G executives believe it could have broader, more recreational appeal. This belief probably is borne out by the article in The New York Times last Sunday reporting that Viagra no longer is being used just by middle-aged men with erectile dysfunction, but also by much younger men with demanding girlfriends and performance anxiety.
- KC's View:
-
: If you think it is weird seeing words like "sexual dysfunction,"
"erectile dysfunction" and "performance anxiety" in MNB, you should try writing them.
On the other hand, we're probably going to get a record number of "hits" today…though not necessarily from our core audience.
That said, we have to wonder why P&G is going to spend $100 million advertising the launch of this product to women. We think all it really has to do is tell a couple of guys, and trust us, men will find a way to get Intrinsa into Christmas stockings all over the world. (And if the thing gets approved in mid-summer, well, we'll find a way to distribute this stuff.)
Hell, just think of all the women who will think that they're using the patch to quit smoking, and suddenly they get the urge to…well, never mind.
This could be the easiest sale ever made.
By the way, what a great day for MNB. We find out that, according to the story above, Guinness actually has fewer carbs than Budweiser, Coors, or Corona. And now there's a "transdermal testosterone patch" for middle-aged, post-menopausal women.
Not that we're married to a middle-aged, post-menopausal women, nor do we drink a lot of Guinness.
It's just good to know these things.
