Are you a man with a plan or an “internal agonizer”? Those are the questions Endo is asking men in a new campaign aimed at getting people off the internet and into their doctor’s office to talk about a subject that Endo believes has remained taboo for long enough: Peyronie's disease.
This disorder, which can cause a curved penis when erect and is caused by fibrous scar tissue, can be a major source of concern and embarrassment for men. This, in turn, can lead them to be an “internal agonizer,” worrying and Googling their symptoms, but not seeing a doctor.
Endo, which markets Peyronie's disease treatment Xiaflex, is hoping to change that, running new ads and a campaign to get men worried about Peyronie's disease to book an appointment with a urologist.
As part of this new push, Endo is running links to a branded Xiaflex website that can also help find a local doctor.
There’s also a new, 30-second ad spot, dubbed “Man with a Plan,” that sees men searching online for answers to their Peyronie's disease-related questions, something that Endo says in a press release shows “the confusion, stress and loneliness felt by the internal agonizers.”
The ad’s main message: “Stop typing. Start talking—to a specialized urologist,” is a clear attempt to destigmatize the condition and, Endo hopes, get more PD patients into the urologist’s office.
Endo reckons 10% of men in the U.S. alone may have Peyronie's disease, and clearly does not want embarrassment or lack of awareness to get in the way of boosting uptake of Xiaflex.
“Endo’s own market research confirms that the journey to treatment for men with PD can take years,” said Dayna Sracic, Senior Director, Consumer Marketing at Endo, in the release.
“Embarrassment about the condition, fear of treatments and the 'wait and see' approach contribute to the long timeline. 'Man With a Plan' helps activate men to break that cycle and advocate for their health.”
Endo is known for its more exuberant marketing campaigns in Peyronie's disease. In 2021, the company launched its now infamous “wonky veg” campaign that showed pictures of people holding curved carrots and courgettes to highlight the main symptom of Peyronie's disease.
It has more recently played it straight, last year launching a new Peyronie's disease smartphone self-awareness tool that did not rely on the wonky veg gimmick, and this latest DTC is also, by Endo’s standards, a conservative approach that speaks more to the darker side of a condition that can cause real worry and deep shame.
Xiaflex works by reducing collagen and is also FDA-approved for Dupuytren's contracture, a progressive hand condition that forms a collagen ropelike cord that pulls fingers toward the palm. The drug made $432 million in 2021, up a major 37% from 2020.