Ro, a healthcare company specializing in direct-to-consumer GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound, is set to debut its Super Bowl advertisement featuring tennis legend Serena Williams. This marks a significant moment for Ro as it launches the “Healthier on Ro” campaign, aiming to both destigmatize these medications and emphasize their broader health benefits beyond just weight loss. The ad will be broadcast nationally during NBC’s Super Bowl coverage and will extend to various platforms, including social media and out-of-home advertising across the United States.
The initiative follows Ro’s collaboration with Williams that began last August, where she spoke openly about her personal experience using a GLP-1 drug. At that time, Ro’s co-founder and chief product officer, Saman Rahmanian, expressed the company’s desire to challenge misconceptions about weight loss medications, asserting that using them is not merely a shortcut, especially when someone as accomplished as Williams endorses them.
In the Super Bowl ad, Williams shares her own health journey, which includes a weight loss of 34 pounds over the past year, as well as improvements in knee joint stress, blood sugar levels, and cholesterol. The commercial vividly illustrates Williams using the medication through an injection pen and navigating it via a mobile app, showcasing convenience and real-life application.
The ad, produced by Ro’s internal team and Young Hero, aims to captivate viewers with its vibrant color palette and an energizing soundtrack featuring “Riot Rhythm” by Sleigh Bells. “Our goal was to create an entertaining ad that resonates with patients,” said Rahmanian, underlining the company’s commitment to connecting with its audience.
The timing of Ro’s campaign coincides with a notable increase in the use of GLP-1 medications in the U.S., where 12% of adults report using them, a doubled rate compared to 2024. Spending on appetite-suppressing drugs reached $40 billion last year and is expected to surge further by 2030.
Alongside the ad featuring Williams, Ro plans to present real stories from various patients, highlighting diverse backgrounds and experiences with GLP-1 usage, which collectively aim to dispel the notion that these medications are solely for vanity. These narratives include individuals like Hannah Nylander-Asplin, a runner who lost 75 pounds, and married couple Deanna and Mitchell Taylor, who together achieved a weight loss of 41 pounds.
By leveraging the high-profile Super Bowl platform, Ro aims to inspire conversation and increase awareness about the multifaceted benefits of GLP-1 medications, showcasing that healthier living can be accessible to everyone.