VIATRIS | MAKE LOVE LAST | 2025
This Is a Condom Ad / VIATRIS "MAKE LOVE LAST"
This is a condom ad—actually, no, it's an ad for Viagra. And it doesn't even look like an ad. In China, you can't advertise medicine directly, so this piece was released into the world as a work of "art."
The problem
In China, direct advertising of pharmaceuticals is banned, and the topic of sex remains sensitive. As couples get older, daily life takes over, and they lose track of when they last really connected. But with ordinary methods, you can't even bring up the subject.
The insight
The core idea here is that intimacy isn't about the body—it's about keeping a bond alive over time. So instead of making an ad, why not make art? Letting couples tell their own stories, without worrying about embarrassment or judgment, is far more honest.
The idea
3 real couples were asked to speak candidly about their faded passion, and then the crew left the room, leaving only a camera behind. The closeness between the two of them was captured in time-lapse, appearing only as blurred streaks of light. Set to piano music, the act of love was preserved in the form of "art." 1 week later, the couples were invited to a gallery to be reunited with their own photographs.
What happened
These photos and stories were released around Chinese Valentine's Day, slipping past advertising regulations and sparking conversations about intimacy. The campaign won the Pharma Grand Prix at Cannes Lions 2025, a Grand Winner at the Clio Awards 2025, and several other awards.
Afterthought
"If you can't make an ad, make something that isn't an ad"—easy to say, but pulling it off by asking real couples to participate and having the courage to leave only a camera in the room takes real nerve. Instead of treating regulation as an excuse, they turned it into a weapon. When it becomes art, that's when an ad is at its strongest.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Grand Prix 2025
