Back in my earlier days of patient insight research, I put together this insights presentation for the Viagra pitch team using the patient research platform Verilogue. From listening to hundreds of hours of conversations, I created patient archetypes to encompass the most prominent tendencies among men when having the ED conversation with their doctors. By doing so, the creative team was able to grasp how the conversations usually go, and develop strategies to ease the tension in the doctor's office.

1. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
The Secret to Bringing It Up
Verilogue research insights report

2. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
How do men who can’t get it up, bring it up?
Audio Ethnography: Surreptitiously Delicious!
2
[In other words, these insights were ascertained from confidential
conversations between patients and their doctors during visits.]
=

3. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
You know, in that way
Quantitatively… What did we find?
60%
Special
visit
65%
Dr.
Initiation
#5
Viagra Rx
#10
Other Rx
#8
No Rx
58%
Indirectly
42%
Directly
35%
Patient
Initiation
40%
checkups
49 %
Urologists
51 %
PCPS
Sure, we know the W’s of bringing up
ED in conversation - But we didn’t
see just numbers;
we saw types of people.
erection
Firmness
Impotence
ArousalDesire
Able to penetrate?
Responsiveness
No physical Excitement
EDIt’s still in my head
How can I treat this side effect?
Trouble getting intimate

4. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
The Dude
The Dodger
The Joker
The Penny
Saver
Patient Personalities
Each type represents a different conversation theme, and a different opportunity
The One that
got away
The Indifferent doctor

5. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
The Joker
Opportunity
Aesthetic
The humor in a joke lies within it’s truth.
Bringing the problem up jokingly signifies insecurity,
one we should speak to and vindicate.
Patient brought up ED jokingly, as if it weren’t
something he was concerned about
Opportunity Missed: The doctor didn’t take him
seriously or ask the question just as follow up
“And besides, that kind of keeps me
out of trouble too [LAUGHING]”
Playful, not serious, indirect, nervous humor,
down played the effect ED was having on his life

6. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
The One That Got Away
Opportunity
Aesthetic
Bringing up a medication doesn’t solidify Script Choice
Responsiveness is relative. Present Viagra as a more consistent choice
Discussion of different options was constant, patients were
interested in the different kinds.
Opportunity Missed: Instead of tweaking dosage or
suggesting Viagra over another, the doctor often switched
brands, or went with the one he had samples for (which
was rarely Viagra).
Relaxed, but indirect. Light conversation, neutral tones of
voice and overall flexibility in flow of discussion. Many
opportunities or explore options
“ Would Viagra be an
option for me?”

7. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
have a prescription of Viagra
just in case.
“No, I don’t have a problem but I do
.
Opportunity
Aesthetic
Hiding behind other reasons lessens the blow of dealing with ED
Take initiative to identify these key statements use them to
respond to the desire to discuss ED
“I guess for the high blood
pressure that would affect
the –”
Reluctant, self depreciating, “brushing it off”, a
little nervous, a little hesitant, a little bit in denial-
and only able bring it up as part of another
condition.
Patient dodges discussing ED directly. Instead he uses
every other medication and condition to bring it up
Opportunity Missed: Elaborating that many men take
Viagra with other meds and conditions, and that it’s
ok.
“No. No, I wasn’t worried about that.
I was, um, probably a little
nervous just being with a
woman”
“When I was on dialysis,
I was having, I was
having a problem”
The Dodger

8. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
The Penny Saver
Aesthetic
Patients are exploring cheaper alternatives
Costs is a key driver, options are about price almost more than
efficacy
Curious, open minded, the explorer,
relaxed, fiscal
Opportunity: The patient says that Cialis is
expensive
Opportunity Missed: The doctor didn’t suggest
Viagra as an alternative, even when asked about
directly
“Well, it is, it’s expensive”
“What do you think about Canadian
pharmacists?”“The Cialis you gave me
worked, but uh, God was it expensive”
“Whatever will be covered, yeah”
Opportunity

9. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
The Dude
Opportunity
Aesthetic
The Patient brings up ED as a chore, doesn’t care, and doesn’t
have high expectations.
Transform hopelessness into a realistic improvement.
Relaxed, as a matter fact, care free, I don’t really
care what you give me… just something that works,
please. Almost apathetic, as if he knows he’s past his
prime
“I got a little muscle aches, but
also some..erectile dysfunction”
Opportunity: The patient asks if Viagra is an option,
but doesn’t care that much
Opportunity missed: The doctor didn’t
acknowledged the patient’s apathy, therefore not
giving the patient a reason to care
“Sometimes I just want to you know,
get it done as fast as I can before I lose it”
“Yeah I don’t care
really, I just want to be
able to, you know”

10. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
The Indifferent Doctor
Opportunity
Aesthetic
Physician largely doesn’t differentiate one ED medicine from the other
Because of this, having samples in the office fosters the Rx.
“All these medicines are similar…you
may respond better to one of these
than the other”
“They’re all good,
they’re all safe”
“Yeah, there’s Viagra, there’s Levitra,
and there’s Cialis, and some people can
respond to one and not the other”
No preference, not really engaged, doesn’t
really probe the patient, doesn't give any
indication that one will work better than the
other
Multiple brands and brought up, and even direct
questioning from patients about the difference
The doctor illustrates only minimal, subjective
differences between Viagra, Cialias, and Levitra

11. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
Dr. Apathy
DUDE
Penny Saver
The Dodger
The One that
Got Away
Joker
Conversation Theme Summary
Physician doesn’t differentiate one ED medicine from the other.
The presence of samples fosters the most amount of Rx’s.
Within every joke there is an element of truth.
Vindicate the insecurity.
Brand discussion doesn’t secure script choice
Responsiveness is relative. Present Viagra as a consistent choice
Talking about ED is easier when you have something to blame …like Diabetes.
ID key statements as good points of ED discussion.
Cost is almost as importance as efficacy.
Explaining insurance coverage will help in H2H comparison.
Low expectations or apathy fosters difficult conversation
Transform hopelessness into a realistic improvement.
The

12. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
Branded Discussion
Are the long term economic benefits of not giving samples of Viagra
worth the short term loss of patients to Levitra and Cialis?
The most popular
ED med of 2009
“I always have some
Cialis Samples”
36-Hour benefit is
always a discussion
point
Opinion: it really isn’t
that different from
Viagra
Talked about less, but
still more samples of
Levitra given
The Coke/Kleenex
of ED discussion
“Probably still the
best of the bunch”
Definitely been
around the longest

13. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
INSIGHT & Opportunity
Other conditions and
medications are a vehicle
to talk about ED
Same Script Different Day
Initiation/Transition in ED
conversation is ALWAYS
wrapped in something
Targeted checkpoints of
other patient journeys
What’s Toasted?
Talking about ED is no
less manly than talking
about Cholesterol.
>
>
>
Performing well at the right moment isn’t just the patient’s problem.
Bringing it up is awkward. Treating it should be anything but.

14. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
When it rains…Talk to the High Cholesterol guy
Prostate
Cancer
Constricts
blood flow
diagnosis etc etc
High
Cholesterol
Poor Diet medication etc etc
Diabetes Type 1
Poor diet/
maintenance
Type 2
Nerve &
artery
damage
Mental
Disorders
Depression Anxiety Epilepsy etc
Disease progression timeline
Many patients use other conditions and medication as a vehicle to bring up ED with their
doctor. We should identify when these conditions cause ED and utilize those checkpoints.

15. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
Viagra, Cialis, and Levitra are largely
interchangeable to doctors
What is toasted about Viagra?
Issues and Motivations
RATIONAL
EMOTIONAL
What’sTOASTED?
A Rose by any other name still increases blood flow…

16. DRAFT—For internal discussion only.
Real Men Shouldn’t need excuses
The Barriers are in the transitions.
Redefine what’s part of being a man, and you make it okay to talk about.
All conversation is wrapped in…
■ Embarrassment
■ Apathy
■ A joke to cover insecurity or another condition
■ Complacency due to age and emotion
Opportunity
Insight
They can talk about knee problems, diabetes,
cholesterols, etc., no problem - because it is what it is.
Take away the barriers in transitions and let men know it’s okay
and normal to talk about.
They act like ED is no big deal, which we all know not true. They
don’t have to be afraid the condition, because a real part of being
a man.