Raising the issue

With a study showing that 4.3 million British men have suffered from erectile dysfunction, while only 46 per cent of them have discussed it with their partners, there’s clearly more than a little awks around the issue. 

Created by VMLY&R London and directed by Paulo Garcia through BLINKINK, Love Story is a good example of how a well-crafted animation is the ideal medium for tackling a difficult subject with nuance. Live action – or inaction in this case – would have strayed perilously close to being either saucy or cheesy, neither of which would strike the right tone. 

Depicting a happy couple who spend too much time using bed as a home office rather than love nest, the film follows their lack of intimacy leading to distance, disconnection and ultimately a bungled fumble that reveals it’s not only the man’s heart that is soft for his lady. 

The campaign aims to encourage couples to start a conversation by showing how stress, work, poor eating habits and more can get in the way of a successful sexual relationship.