A woman in a supermarket checks her smartphone while waiting for her husband to come back from shopping,’s she says to the camera. Cut to a shot of the couple celebrating their forty-fifth wedding anniversary. The camera zooms in on the woman’s face as she smiles. The caption below the image reads: ‘Viagra can help you have better sex. Try it today.’
‘What better way to celebrate forty-five years of marriage than by offering Viagra?’ said Martin Shkudlo, President and Chief Executive Officer, Pfizer, in a press release. The pharmaceutical giant created the pill to treat high blood pressure and angina. The company also manufactures the drug Coumadin.
In 2008, the drugmaker launched a television ad campaign featuring model Heidi Klein. In one commercial, a nervous businessman tries to woo Klein with a luxurious dinner at a five-star restaurant. The businessman eventually succeeds in bedding the famous supermodel, who’s then seen opening a bottle of champagne to celebrate the event. In the closing caption, we learn the salesman’s name: ‘Heidi, you’re beautiful, smart, and probably the most important person in my life.’
The following year, the company tried a different tactic and enlisted the help of acclaimed filmmaker Michael Moore to promote its product.
Moore’s unique brand of comedy had gained popularity on the big screen with films like Borat: Cultural Learnings Through American Comedy and Sicko, where he compares the rising cost of healthcare with that of other countries.
‘For ages, men were ashamed to talk about their problems with intimacy. Now it’s the health care issue of our times. A major problem for so many couples,’ Moore said in a press release issued by Pfizer at the time. ‘What better way to highlight this issue than with the help of an innovative and exciting filmmaker like Michael Moore.’
Moore’s film, Capitalism: A Love Story, premiered on HBO in 2010. In the film, he interviews several married couples about their struggles with sexual desire and activity. One of the interviewees is Diane, a retired schoolteacher. Moore asks her about the changes he sees in American society and in particular, regarding gender relations. ‘You know, we’re a bit less inhibited about discussing things nowadays. People are more comfortable talking about sex than they’ve ever been before,’ she says.
With the exception of premarital relations, oral sex, or sex toys, Viagra is the only FDA-approved treatment for low libido. But, while the drug can be rather successful as a treatment for erectile dysfunction, it’s not the same as having an active sex life. More than half of people between the ages of 40 and 49 reported suffering from the symptoms in a 2014 survey conducted by the American Institute of Stress. For men, those symptoms include low sex drive, trouble getting and maintaining an erection, and anxiety about not being able to satisfy a lover.
Why The Focus On Women?
It’s estimated that only 1 in 20 Americans over the age of 12 has an active sex life. For whatever reason, when it comes to satisfying romance, most people either lack the courage to ask for what they want, or they don’t know how to go about getting it.
If you’re ready to take the plunge and share your desires with the world, here are a few tips to get you started.
- Keep your expectations realistic. If you’re looking for a magical cure, you’ll only end up heartbroken.
- Don’t expect your partner to read your mind and know what you want. They might not always guess correctly.
- Try new things. There are lots of ways to spice up your sex life that don’t involve drugs or surgeries. See what else is out there beyond the usual suspects (oral sex, fingers, and dildos).
- Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. If you’re feeling frisky, or even if you’re just curious, make your move. Asking for sex is never a bad idea.
- If all else fails, have kids. They’ll bring you closer to death than you ever thought possible. But, at least you’ll have someone to love you when you’re old.
How To Have (More) Intimate Sex
If you’re looking to improve your sex life, whether it’s with your partner or yourself, there are lots of ways to do it. But, if you want to achieve that perfect, Hollywood glow, you might need to work at it a bit.
Before you begin your journey to greater intimacy, you should talk to your partner about what you’re feeling. If you’re worried that they don’t care as much as you do, or that you’re not connecting on a sensual level, it might be time for you to have a deeper conversation. Try something new, like taking a walk, cooking a meal together, or going for a swim. Anything that gets you two closer together makes it easier for the both of you to relax and get into the mood for sex. Just make sure that your partner knows that what they’re getting into is a partnership and not a one-sided arrangement. You both need to be on the same page if you want this to work. If you keep things interesting, this could be a great opportunity for the both of you to grow closer together. You’re better off being open with each other than acting on instinct and forcing something that might not be comfortable for either of you.
Even though it might be difficult for you to ask for what you want, it’s worth it in the long run. Try new things and see what works for both of you. Experimenting with different positions and finding ways to spice things up is sure to improve your sex life. Remember to communicate needs and desires, and don’t be afraid to express your feelings. You might just end up falling in love after all.