Four years on from its original “Bent Carrot” ad, Endo has returned to the campaign for a new connected TV spot that looks at how a man overcame his concerns and successfully sought treatment for Peyronie’s disease.
Endo made the “Bent Carrot” ad the first branded spot for its Peyronie’s treatment, Xiaflex, in 2021, using curved carrots to explain that a bend in a penis may be a sign of the condition, which is caused by a buildup of scar tissue under the skin.
The drugmaker moved away from the vegetable aisle for later TV spots, focusing instead on the importance of taking action rather than being an “internal agonizer” across a series of ads. Meanwhile, Endo also began running DTC ads this year, touting patient success stories for Xiaflex’s other approved indication, Dupuytren’s contracture.
Now, the company is returning to its roots in the Peyronie’s space with a commercial that began airing this week on streaming platforms and online video services like Prime Video, CBS, HBO Max, Hulu and Peacock, Endo announced Tuesday. The new 90-second TV spot, dubbed “Prime Time,” opens with a couple watching a TV that is showing one of the “Bent Carrot” ads, sparking a conversation about their own experience with Peyronie’s.
“I was afraid and didn’t know what to do,” the man recalls. The woman says she’s glad he talked to a urology specialist, prompting him to note that he only wishes he had done so sooner.
After the ad playing on the TV outlines the potential benefits of Xiaflex, the couple discusses the treatment’s cost, explaining that they were eligible to pay $0 out of pocket. They look on as the voiceover lists potential side effects, after which the man quips, “No wonder I was hesitant.” The woman agrees, but adds that she’s glad the man found a urologist who made the decision to start treatment with Xiaflex easier.
The commercial’s discussions of costs and side effects reflect the “common hesitations or misconceptions” that men with Peyronie’s may experience when considering starting treatment, as Justin Mattice, general manager of branded specialty at Endo, said in the announcement, but also their ultimate gratitude after finding a solution, as the man in the ad concludes with, “I’m happy I got treatment.”
Second-quarter earnings at Mallinckrodt—now the holding company for Endo after their merger was completed at the start of this month—suggest increasingly more men are going through the treatment process described in the ad.
Mark Bradley, chief integration officer at Mallinckrodt, said on the earnings call last week that “continued patient and healthcare provider education” is driving demand for Xiaflex. Rising volumes and prices sent sales up 9% for the quarter.