Wegovy, a weight-loss drug that helps people slim down, is bulking up for its first appearance in the Super Bowl.
Novo Nordisk, the drug’s manufacturer, purchased enough ad time from NBC to run a 90-second commercial in the third quarter of the game, expected to air Sunday, February 8. What’s more, the company has enlisted a broad team of famous faces — Kenan Thompson, DJ Khaled, Danielle Brooks, Ana Gasteyer, John C. Reilly and Danny Trejo — in a bid to appeal to many different viewers likely to be among the tens of millions watching the Big Game.
“We chose to show up at the big game because it gives us a rare chance to speak to so many people at
once — to cut through clutter and start honest conversations about weight for people who want
to take a step toward better health.” says Ed Cinca, senior vice president, marketing and patient solutions at Novo Nordisk.
Novo Nordisk is putting so much into its Super Bowl appearance because it is touting Wegovy tablets that can be taken once a day, rather than the injectable format for which the drug is more commonly known. The drugmaker offers the pill as the market for weight-loss drugs is taking off. Indeed, two telehealth providers, Ro and Hims & Hers, will take to the Super Bowl this weekend to discuss the benefits of using their services to gain access to such medications.
But Novo’s introduction of the pill may be a bigger announcement. Experts believe making the drug available as an oral medication could spur even more interest from consumers, some of whom may be loath to inject themselves. As pricing for Wegovy and similar medications continues to decline, launch of a pill could spur new purchasing volume. Novo Nordisk said earlier this week that it expected sales and operating profit to fall in 2026. Compounding matters, Hims & Hers said it was launching a copycat version that would cost significantly less, though Novo’s CEO said that the discount medication would not be absorbed as easily.
Part of the reason the ad is so long — most unveiled so far last just 30 or 60 seconds — is the mandate that pharmaceutical commercials disclose potential side effects. But another is to feature the spot’s diverse cast. The ad opens with Kenan Thompson, quickly followed by scenes of the other cast members, with many of them sharing different scenes. “Big news America!” Thompson shouts from the top of a water tower. “Wegovy now comes in a pill.”
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