Jerry Hall to front for Bayer's Levitra

BAYER HAS signed the former wife of Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger as a global spokeswoman for its erectile dysfunction drug Levitra.

The campaign is designed to "encourage men and women globally to 'Strike Up a Conversation' and openly discuss erec tile dysfunction with each other and

Aside from making a public appearance and a photo featured on a nonbranded Web site, it was unclear whether Bayer would use Hall in any other advertising.

Levitra has placed third globally in the erectile dysfunction category, lead by Pfizer's Viagra and followed by Lilly ICOS's Cialis. Levitra is marketed jointly in the U.S. by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Schering-Plough. Bayer, which manufactures the drug, bought exclusive marketing rights to Levitra outside the U.S. from GSK in January. -S.M.