And you all thought he was tough!
NEW YORK (Reuters) - As a professional football player and coach, "Iron" Mike Ditka was known for his toughness. Now he's being paid to show his sensitive side.
Bayer AG and GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the pharmaceutical companies, have hired Ditka to promote Levitra, their new impotence drug, in a campaign to encourage men to confront touchy health problems.
Every week, 120 million football fans will be inundated with television ads of Ditka touting the benefits of Levitra, which clinical trials have shown works faster than Viagra.
Earlier this month, the companies paid an undisclosed amount to be a sponsor of the National Football League. While the league would not provide details, published reports put the deal's value at $6 million per year, in addition to costs Bayer and Glaxo will pay to purchase advertising time on TV networks during the football season.
The agreement with Ditka is the first salvo in a fierce marketing battle between the companies and Pfizer Inc., the maker of Viagra.
Pfizer (PFE: up $0.33 to $33.72, Research, Estimates), which launched Viagra in 1998 and has made it into a household name, uses a baseball star and a prominent race car driver as well as former U.S. Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole in its ads to promote Viagra. Glaxo and Bayer hope Ditka, with his tough image, can transform himself into a sensitive salesman.
"We really think we've scored a touchdown with Ditka. We were looking for a real guy who could relate to men," said Nancy Bryan, vice president of marketing for men's health at Bayer.
Ditka, who coached the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl in 1986 and was the first tight end elected to the Football Hall of Fame, is known to fans for his gruff manner, unyielding perfectionism, and abrasive attitude.
http://money.cnn.com/2003/07/31/news/companies/ditka_levitra.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes
NEW YORK (Reuters) - As a professional football player and coach, "Iron" Mike Ditka was known for his toughness. Now he's being paid to show his sensitive side.
Bayer AG and GlaxoSmithKline PLC, the pharmaceutical companies, have hired Ditka to promote Levitra, their new impotence drug, in a campaign to encourage men to confront touchy health problems.
Every week, 120 million football fans will be inundated with television ads of Ditka touting the benefits of Levitra, which clinical trials have shown works faster than Viagra.
Earlier this month, the companies paid an undisclosed amount to be a sponsor of the National Football League. While the league would not provide details, published reports put the deal's value at $6 million per year, in addition to costs Bayer and Glaxo will pay to purchase advertising time on TV networks during the football season.
The agreement with Ditka is the first salvo in a fierce marketing battle between the companies and Pfizer Inc., the maker of Viagra.
Pfizer (PFE: up $0.33 to $33.72, Research, Estimates), which launched Viagra in 1998 and has made it into a household name, uses a baseball star and a prominent race car driver as well as former U.S. Senate Republican Leader Bob Dole in its ads to promote Viagra. Glaxo and Bayer hope Ditka, with his tough image, can transform himself into a sensitive salesman.
"We really think we've scored a touchdown with Ditka. We were looking for a real guy who could relate to men," said Nancy Bryan, vice president of marketing for men's health at Bayer.
Ditka, who coached the Chicago Bears to a Super Bowl in 1986 and was the first tight end elected to the Football Hall of Fame, is known to fans for his gruff manner, unyielding perfectionism, and abrasive attitude.
http://money.cnn.com/2003/07/31/news/companies/ditka_levitra.reut/index.htm?cnn=yes