In a battlefield scene heavy on Hollywood-style drama, a group of soldiers gathers in a general’s tent, where the news is dire—they’re surrounded by enemies, outgunned and outnumbered, and low on supplies. Can defeat be far behind?
Instead of suggesting a white flag, the leader rallies his troops by telling them he has been “conveniently and discreetly” receiving medication for erectile dysfunction and “with a healthy erection, I feel like I can do anything again.”
That includes engaging in “multiple campaigns” as long as he has “a bit of a break in between—maybe a sandwich.”
Wearing its cheekiness on its sleeve, Toronto-based men’s health startup Phoenix launched the cinematic ad as its first national introduction to the Canadian public. And the brand chose one of the biggest televised events of the year—Super Bowl 58—as the media vehicle.
A few north-of-the-border tidbits: The Big Game is massively popular in Canada, where 17.3 million people watched in 2023, per Statista. While that number may pale in comparison to the American crowd (some 115 million strong), it represents nearly one-half of the country’s population and a 6% year-over-year bump. Canadian viewers see the same football matchup, minus the U.S. commercial breaks; the ads, from Canadian brands, are targeted specifically at that audience.
Comeback story
The 60-second mini-movie for Phoenix’s telehealth service, complete with period-perfect details and a “rise again” message, comes from indie agency Arrivals + Departures. The spot, dubbed “Multiple Positions,” breaks from the category norm of focusing solely on functional benefits, instead taking the comedic, innuendo-laced route.
“We recognized a unique opportunity to leverage the Super Bowl as a platform to elevate the brand, delivering a compelling narrative that underscores the belief that everyone deserves a remarkable comeback,” Jeff MacEachern, the agency’s chief creative officer, said in a statement.
“Multiple Positions” is aiming for longevity of a different sort—it will appear during marquee sports programming through the year, via TV buys from the agency’s media division. Phoenix’s in-house team handled social and performance marketing.
Professional sporting events have traditionally been popular marketing avenues for pharmaceutical companies. And like this year’s Big Game for Canadians, American viewers have also seen ads for erectile dysfunction drugs during the Super Bowl, notably in 2004 from both Cialis and Levitra.
In 2023, Stellantis wasn’t marketing an ED med, but its ad for Ram called “Premature Electrification” was stuffed with unsubtle jokes about “handling payload” and “maintaining charge.” The stated goal was to help potential buyers get over their performance anxiety of switching to electric power over gasoline or diesel.
