Breaking Down Taboos

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Marketers used to tiptoe around taboo or sensitive topics like menstruation, irregularity, impotence and menopause, just to name a few. Advertising addressing these issues often used flowery euphemisms so vague they bordered on comical.

But some marketers have found that being direct and honest not only works better to sell products, but also creates fiercely loyal brand advocates.

Consider the success of Pfizer’s breakthrough Viagra campaign with Bob Dole. Before that campaign, it was impossible to imagine men openly discussing erectile dysfunction (ED).

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