GROWTH STRATEGY

Viagra is now virtually a household word. Perhaps not a word readily used in most households, whether or not it is present in the confines of the medicine cabinet or the sock drawer, but a word that is readily recognized and has developed a strong image very quickly. The little blue, diamond-shaped pill to cure impotence was always going to be what the pharmaceutical industry calls a 'blockbuster' drug.

The phenomenon that is Viagra is an excellent example of what marketing can and cannot do. With a product that is perceived to address a perceived need effectively, the marketing is easy.

In the medical world, impotence is generally known as erectile dysfunction, or EO for short. EO is a condition in which men are unable to achieve an erection sufficient to engage in satisfactory sexual activity. The proportion of men that are affected by the condition is difficult to estimate, as many men are reluctant to visit a doctor about this condition. EO may often have a significant psychological component - that is, the problem is to some extent psychosomatic, or in the mind of the patient. Nevertheless, it is known that the incidence of EO in men tends to increase with age.

Despite men's reluctance to seek help for this condition, it is known that it can be extremely damaging