Your Super Bowl debrief: What health ads got right, what they got wrong, and how they'll impact the clinic
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Many telehealth campaigns imply that GLP-1s can be obtained quickly, on demand, without a meaningful medical evaluation. That’s problematic.
—Alexander Nathanson, MD, DABOM, a board-certified obesity medicine physician
It’s rare to see a Super Bowl commercial tackle a real men’s health barrier so directly and still feel approachable.
—Michael S. Leapman, MD, MHS, Clinical Program Leader of Prostate & Urologic Cancers Program at Yale Cancer Center
Over 100 million viewers were thought to have tuned in to last night’s Super Bowl. [] That’s a lot of eyes on the game—and millions on the advertisements. This year, the ads were noticeably heavy on healthcare messaging, blending everything from multiple GLP-1 promos from both companies who make them (ie, Novo Nordisk) and those that sell them (ie, Ro) to celeb-powered public-health screening campaigns. []
It’s no secret that Super Bowl ads have an undeniable influence on viewers. [] That’s why we’re expecting an influx of patient questions in the coming days and weeks related to what they may have seen on Sunday. Here’s your Monday debrief of the most impactful health-related Super Bowl ads.
Ro and GLP-1s
This ad featured Serena Williams dancing while saying she’s feeling healthier and moving better after using Ro’s GLP-1 product. The main focus of the ad? Williams is down 34 pounds. It’s a short ad, so it doesn’t specify the target patient or the potential risks of taking the drug.
That said, some outlets have noted that the ad focuses on the not-so-vain benefits of GLP-1s, such as improved mobility. [] Your patients may ask about GLP-1s after seeing a trusted, elite athlete like Williams promoting them as a legitimate medical option rather than a vanity fad.
What it got right
The ad successfully reframed GLP-1 therapy away from cosmetic weight loss and toward functional health. By emphasizing improved mobility and overall well-being—rather than aesthetics alone—it mirrored how clinicians increasingly discuss these medications in cardiometabolic and musculoskeletal contexts.
What it got wrong
The spot provided little clinical context, leaving out key information about who is an appropriate candidate for GLP-1 therapy and what the potential risks or tradeoffs may be. While Williams’ credibility helped normalize obesity treatment as preventive medicine, the ad’s brevity glossed over important nuances physicians routinely address—such as lean mass preservation, metabolic indications, and safety considerations.
As a result, patients may approach clinicians inspired by the message but without a realistic understanding of how GLP-1 therapy fits into individualized medical care.
Related: Serena Williams, Ro, and the $8 million GLP-1 Super Bowl betBoehringer Ingelheim and uACR tests
This flashy ad featured Octavia Spencer and Sofia Vergara in a futuristic setting, with “kidney disease warning signs,” like type 2 diabetes and hypertension, flashing across towering screens.
While the ad relied on star power to capture the public’s attention, its core message was clear: A simple urine test can help detect kidney disease early. Your patients with high blood pressure or diabetes may ask about the uACR test, as it might be totally new to them.
What it got right
Keith Bellovich, DO, MBA, Chief Nephrologist at Strive Health, thinks the ad placements may be beneficial. “Direct-to-consumer advertising can certainly help raise awareness around kidney disease,” he says. “Advertisements can serve a vital role in potentially kickstarting a conversation for someone who may be at risk for kidney disease and encourage them to seek proper screening.”
What it got wrong
That said, an ad spot is just that: an ad spot. “Commercials do not have the opportunity to dig deeper into common symptoms of kidney disease,” Dr. Bellovich says.
Melanie Betz, MS, RD, the founder and CEO of The Kidney Dietitian, feels similarly about the limitations. “I feel resources would be best utilized bringing awareness to kidney disease in general, and not necessarily uACR tests,” she says. “I'd prefer the attention be on the prevalence and consequences of kidney disease, encouraging patients to ask their doctor about their kidney function and diet [and] lifestyle strategies to both prevent and treat it.”
Novo Nordisk and GLP-1s
This spot starred Kenan Thompson, DJ Khaled, and Danielle Brooks, using bright colors and offbeat humor to grab attention. Beneath the flash, the message was clear: Novo Nordisk’s once-daily GLP-1 pill is intended for adults with obesity looking to lose weight.
The ad emphasized that the medication should be paired with healthy nutrition and exercise and clearly listed the drug’s risks and side effects. While Novo Nordisk estimates peak sales of $3.25 billion for the pill, that figure remains well below that of its injectable GLP-1 counterparts, reflecting ongoing questions about real-world interest. []
What it got right
Alexander Nathanson, MD, DABOM, a board-certified obesity medicine physician, says ads like these can increase awareness of obesity as a disease and not a moral failure: “Even elite athletes—people who deeply understand diet [and] exercise—sometimes need medical help. That normalization can reduce stigma and encourage people who’ve struggled quietly for years to seek care,” he says.
What it got wrong
At the same time, Dr. Nathanson says he sees GLP-1 ads as a “double-edged sword,” noting that they may be “problematic” if they fail to frame access limitations: “Many telehealth campaigns imply that GLP-1s can be obtained quickly, on demand, without a meaningful medical evaluation. That’s problematic,” he says. “These medications are not appropriate for everyone, and starting them should be a thoughtful, shared decision between a patient and a physician who understands their medical history, risks, and long-term goals.”
Monique Bellefleur, a therapist who specializes in eating disorders and negative body image, says the deluge of GLP-1 ads may not be a good thing for another reason: “The most problematic part of the massive budget being used to advertise GLP-1s is that it continues the narrative that fat bodies are bodies that need to be changed.”
Novartis and PSA blood tests
Novartis’s Super Bowl ad featured a group of NFL stars to promote prostate cancer screening with a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. The commercial used a football pun (“Relax your tight end”) to send its core message: A simple blood test can help detect possible prostate cancer. []
Viewers were reminded that 1 in 8 men will develop the disease, but that stress-free, early detection is possible with a blood test—cue the ad’s images of unclenched butts. The ad, however, did not address the test’s sensitivity or specificity. Your patients may initiate conversations about PSA testing after seeing their favorite players promote the test.
What it got right
Eric Kim, MD, Interim Associate Dean of Clinical Research and Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Nevada, Reno, says that while PSA screening rates remain low, they’re important.
“When diagnosed early, prostate cancers can be managed effectively with surveillance and/or treated definitively for cure,” Dr. Kim says. “We need to do more to educate men on the importance of PSA screening. Hopefully, an ad running during the Super Bowl will increase awareness and result in increased PSA screening. This may be a 'scare-tactic'—but an appropriate one.”
Michael S. Leapman, MD, MHS, Clinical Program Leader of Prostate and Urologic Cancers Program at Yale Cancer Center, says the commercial’s power lies in its ability to bring awareness.
“It’s rare to see a Super Bowl commercial tackle a real men’s health barrier so directly and still feel approachable. Campaigns like this can move the needle on early detection and screening. If it normalizes the topic even a little, that can translate into more men engaging earlier, which is where screening has the greatest impact.”
What it got wrong
By presenting PSA testing as an easy solution, the ad glossed over the long-standing clinical debate around prostate cancer screening. [][]
PSA tests are neither diagnostic nor risk-free: Elevated levels can reflect benign conditions, lead to additional testing, and, in some cases, prompt interventions that carry lasting consequences for sexual and urinary function. While early detection can be lifesaving, concerns exist regarding overdiagnosis and overtreatment.
Hims & Hers: ‘Rich People Live Longer’ and equitable healthcare access
The direct-to-consumer telehealth platform targeted everyday, working-class consumers with its provocative “Rich People Live Longer” ad, hoping to challenge the notion that healthcare is only for the wealthy.
The ad highlighted the platform’s offerings—diagnostic bloodwork, weight loss and hormone treatments, and early cancer detection—with the tagline “The same science, the same access.” But the question remains: Is it really the same? Novo Nordisk has sued Hims & Hers over copycat compounded versions of its drugs. []
What it got right
The ad tapped into a real access issue in healthcare, highlighting cost and convenience barriers that often delay preventive care.
By positioning diagnostic testing and early intervention as attainable rather than elite, it echoed broader efforts to normalize earlier engagement with healthcare, while reducing stigma around seeking care for conditions tied to weight, hormones, or longevity.
What it got wrong
The promise of “the same science” and “the same access” oversimplified meaningful differences between direct-to-consumer telehealth and traditional care, including continuity, clinical oversight, and follow-up.
The inclusion of compounded medications—currently under legal scrutiny—further complicates claims of equivalence, as these products are not FDA-approved and may vary in quality and safety.