Pharmaceutical and telehealth companies are set to use the Super Bowls massive global audience to market weight-loss treatments directly to consumers, marking a new phase in the industrys advertising strategy. Novo Nordisk, maker of Wegovy, will air a 90-second commercial featuring comedian Kenan Thompson and music producer DJ Khaled, introducing the drug in a lighthearted way by comparing its benefits to everyday solutions such as parallel parking or rescuing kittens.
Telehealth provider Ro will also make its Super Bowl debut, enlisting tennis legend Serena Williams to front its campaign. Meanwhile, Hims Hers Health has tapped rapper Common for a voiceover in its advertisement, which carries the provocative tagline Rich People Live Longer. These campaigns reflect the growing competition in the lucrative weight-loss market, where demand for treatments such as GLP-1 drugs has surged globally.
For South African audiences, the ads highlight how pharmaceutical companies are increasingly targeting mainstream consumers through entertainment platforms rather than traditional medical channels. The Super Bowl, with its reputation for high-impact advertising, offers a stage where health products are marketed alongside household brands, underscoring both the commercial potential and ethical debates surrounding direct-to-consumer promotion of prescription drugs.
