With more than 127 million viewers tuning into the Super Bowl and annual ad spending in the hundreds of millions, the Big Game is becoming a platform for healthcare conversations, not just halftime theatrics. This year, companies are using that reach to advertise GLP-1 medications—drugs like semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound)—which are prescribed for type 2 diabetes and obesity and have generated both medical excitement and cultural controversy.
Telehealth provider Ro’s Super Bowl spot features Serena Williams and aims to reduce stigma around using these medications. Hims & Hers is running ads that emphasize affordability and access, spotlighting how wealth can determine who gets newer therapies and specialized care.
Why the ads matter
Experts say wider visibility can normalize obesity as a medical condition and let more people know effective treatments exist. Ana Reisdorf, MS, a registered dietitian and founder of GLP-1 Hub, noted that GLP-1 drugs have been a major advance given the prevalence of obesity and metabolic disease. She pointed out that obesity rates have begun to decline—Gallup data shows a fall from a record 39.9% in 2022 to 37.0% in 2025—and attributes some of that improvement to these therapies.
Reisdorf explained that GLP-1 medications help regulate appetite, blood sugar, and energy balance, and reduce the “food noise” that can make weight loss difficult. She also highlighted benefits for heart health, insulin resistance, blood pressure, and cholesterol, calling the treatments “a miracle in a space that has been a struggle for so long.”
Stigma, access, and equity
Despite benefits, stigma remains a major barrier. Timur Alptunaer, MD, of InHouse Wellness, said many people view using medication for weight as a personal failure if diet and exercise don’t suffice—a perception he calls damaging. “Obesity goes beyond lifestyle choices,” he said, noting genetics, hormones, environment, and brain factors all play roles. He likened using obesity drugs to using insulin for diabetes or blood-pressure medication for hypertension.
High-profile spokespeople like Serena Williams could help dismantle misconceptions that taking these drugs is “cheating.” When stigma discourages people from seeking treatment, patients may delay starting therapies they need, worsening outcomes and increasing shame.
Financial barriers also shape who benefits. Alptunaer observed that wealthier patients often have better access to specialty care, newer drugs, and monitoring, leading to superior outcomes compared with lower-income patients. He praised companies that try to broaden affordability and access but said that expanded options are an “improvement, but not a total solution.” From a public-health standpoint, wider access to effective obesity treatment could reduce diabetes and heart disease incidence and long-term healthcare costs.
The role of responsible advertising
Both experts welcomed increased visibility so long as advertising remains accurate and balanced. Reisdorf said normalizing obesity and raising awareness of effective treatments can reduce shame and encourage care-seeking, but cautioned against ads that promise effortless weight loss or ignore side effects. Alptunaer echoed that responsible, medically accurate messaging is key and warned that oversimplified claims or implications that medical supervision isn’t needed could be harmful.
When ads are balanced—acknowledging benefits, risks, and the need for medical oversight—they can empower patients, promote evidence-based care, and shift public perception of obesity from a moral failing to a treatable medical condition. That combination of reduced stigma, greater affordability, and broader access could improve dialogue between patients and clinicians and lead to earlier interventions and better outcomes.
Bottom line
Super Bowl GLP-1 advertising brings potent visibility to new obesity and metabolic treatments. Experts say that visibility can be positive—helping normalize treatment and expand access—provided ads remain responsible, accurate, and clear about the need for medical supervision and potential side effects. When done carefully, these campaigns could change both the conversation and the care landscape around weight loss medications.
