USING SPORTS AND CULTURE TO DRIVE PR RESULTS WITHIN ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
Erectile dysfunction isn’t your typical headline-grabber, but we set out to change that. Through a smart, ongoing mix of reactive PR around trending topics like the EUROs, gaming culture, and lifestyle trends, we executed a cross-channel campaign with punchy social content and clever messaging. We even teamed up with ex-footballers and set them a challenge to see if they could ‘keep it up.’
Spoiler alert, they couldn’t.
THE BRIEF
MedExpress approached us to boost their organic visibility through creative digital PR. With a category-focused approach, we set out to execute PR activity centred on erectile dysfunction—a key area for MedExpress UK. Our ‘Come on You Blues’ activation seamlessly combined reactive PR, social content, influencer strategy, and a PR campaign that got both media outlets and meme pages buzzing.
THE CONCEPT
We knew tackling erectile dysfunction (ED) had to be done with a bit of creativity to make its mark in the media. So, we took the most relatable UK passions—sport, drinking, and gaming—and linked them to ED in a way that was both cheeky and compelling. We didn’t just talk about it; we made it a conversation starter. By pitting fan bases against each other, we answered the question of who was more likely to need the blue pills. We even went so far as to discover each team’s favourite pint, because why not add a little fun to the facts?
Then, we turned up the volume by hitting meme pages with our outreach, landing in numerous big accounts and reaching millions of people. The real social highlight? A campaign featuring famous ex-footballers (including Ian Holloway and Jay Bothroyd) attempting to “keep it up”—literally. After spinning around a football ten times (yes, mimicking the effects of a good few drinks), they tried their hand at keepy-uppys. It was a hilarious challenge that struck the perfect balance between humour and health, all while speaking directly to our core audience: middle-aged men. Alongside the challenge, we created educational content for the MedExpress social pages, not only keeping our audience entertained but also educating them.
The overall campaign lived on the MedExpress site, providing journalists with an easy hook for coverage and giving them something to link back to.
THE RESULTS
The campaign featured in 40+ titles, with standout links in The Telegraph, Sport Bible, and Joe. We also gained traction in print and hit a number of popular meme pages. MedExpress’ Instagram following grew by 19% throughout the campaign, while the overall domain reached an all-time high, contributing to MedExpress’ organic search goals—thanks to this campaign and the ongoing efforts of the wider MedExpress team.