Erectile dysfunction ads are not usually sexy by nature, but Ro is looking to change that with some help from Megan Fox.
In the first-ever celebrity campaign for Ro’s compounded ED pill, “Megan Fox Is Ro Sparks.” The actress and global sex symbol does not cite studies nor personal experience with ED. Instead, Fox is cast as the product personified, clad in a tight red catsuit emblazoned with the Sparks logo.
In a sultry voice, Fox speaks in first-person as she describes the active ingredients and intended effects of Ro Sparks, which is not approved by the FDA. The medication is a compound containing both sildenafil and tadalafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis, respectively, and dissolves under the tongue for a fast-acting effect.
Previous celebrity partners of Ro have mostly been Ro patients, namely those who have seen success with the company’s GLP-1 offerings. Serena Williams, Charles Barkley, Trisha Paytas, and Chrissy Metz all spoke about their personal experiences with Ro in recent campaigns, but the “Megan Fox Is Ro Sparks” concept employs an entirely different strategy.
Centering a woman in the commercial was a strategic move by Ro’s in-house marketing team. In consumer research, the telehealth platform has found that men are often more receptive to ED marketing when the messenger is a woman.
While it would have been possible to feature a woman who has navigated ED with a partner, framing sexual health as a couple’s issue, the partnership with Fox lent itself to a racier tone. Capitalizing on Fox’s persona as a sex symbol was “an idea that wouldn’t work with anyone else,” the company said in a press release.
The campaign launched across linear TV, streaming, and paid social on Thursday. There’s also an interactive, out-of-home component to the campaign: a Times Square takeover, plus tear-away posters across New York City starting October 5.
