2025 Pharma Superbowl Ads: Moving ... but not moving the needle where it matters most
2025 Pharma Superbowl Ads
Moving ... but not moving the needle where it matters most
Photo by Matt Davey on Unsplash
Photo by Matt Davey on Unsplash
February 13, 2025
After last year’s Superbowl, we noted that the American biopharma industry had a history of failing to connect with its real customers – the healthy people who actually fund biomedical innovation through insurance premiums, taxes, and their retirement accounts. In ignoring those true customers, our industry was failing to inspire the American public to take pride in their own role in the ongoing quest to help us all live healthier, happier, more productive lives.
Pfizer’s “Here’s to Science” was a noteworthy enough exception; an AI-powered, history-of-science-visual-trip culminating in a moving “ring the bell” moment for a young cancer survivor. We called it a “cannonball into the collective cultural pool,” and fans voted it into 26th place on USA Today’s 2024 Admeter.
In the year since, the healthcare landscape and cultural conversation has… evolved. This year’s national broadcast featured a 200% increase (admittedly coming off a small baseline) in biomedical innovator participation. Novartis stepped in (more on their ad, below); Pfizer came back. Oh, and the Philadelphia Eagles absolutely demolished the Kansas City Chiefs. Go birds!
But the problem remains the same: no one inspired the 120 million+ Superbowl viewers with their critical role in the crucial quest for new therapeutics.
Pfizer “Knock Out” - 2025 USA Today Admeter rank: 10
Pfizer moved the 2024 “ring the bell” ending of “Here’s to Science” to the beginning of 2025’s “Knock Out,” and their effort earned them a spot in the fan favorite AdMeter top ten, improving sixteen spots.
Set to LL Cool J's 1991 hit "Mama Said Knock You Out," Pfizer’s new spot skipped the science and tugged heartstrings out of the gate in their portrayal of a young cancer patient, transformed into a boxer for his fight against cancer.
Pfizer announced they are “fighting for eight cancer breakthroughs by 2030” (reported back in 2024, now ready for prime time) and featured the “PfizerForAll.com” address for Pfizer’s DTC patient platform.
Mainstream media loved it
“Pfizer channeled Rocky via LL Cool J to showcase their drugs helping folks overcome cancer. It pulled on the right heartstrings.” – SB Nation
“Speaking of heartwarming, this one from Pfizer was a standout. Seeing a young child with pediatric cancer fight his way back home to his parents made the living room a little dusty.” – CBS
The New York Times ranked "Knock Out" 17th out of more than 60 spots; the WSJ called it the Superbowl’s “most likeable spot.” Social media responses ranged from heartfelt emotion to accusations of exploitation to (no surprise) deranged conspiracy theories. Such is the nature of the beast.
The miss is that while Pfizer told the public that “Pfizer is fighting to create eight new cancer therapeutics,” it didn’t connect the dots to inspire the American public with their role in getting those therapies to the patients that need them. Was it moving? Sure. But will it move the needle where it really counts? Probably not.
Novartis “Your Attention Please,” 2025 USA Today Admeter rank: 16
A lot of sly and not-so-sly nods-and-winks here as Novartis partnered with actress/advocate Hailee Steinfeld and comedian/breast cancer survivor Wanda Sykes in a Super Bowl ad to promote breast health awareness and suggest “let's start paying attention to breasts when it matters the most.”
The Novartis ad encouraged women to take a risk assessment test at YourAttentionPlease.com and emphasized the importance of early detection – without mentioning Novartis until the fifty-sixth second of a one-minute commercial when the Novartis logo finally appeared on the lower right of the screen.
The Novartis-ish ad was both well-received (e.g., People, Adweek) and timely (airing during National Cancer Prevention Month). Leveraging high-profile personalities, a great song and well produced visuals, Novartis drew attention to breast cancer awareness, aligned with public health priorities, and resonated positively with viewers.
Novartis did a public service amplifying an important message about early cancer detection – and even noted that up to six million women watching might be diagnosed with breast cancer. But what didn't make it into the spot was the broader public's role in helping fund the science and scientists striving for new breast cancer treatments – and possibly even cures – that could transform lives. Maybe their own lives.
All in all, good efforts for the big game (can’t say the same for KC) and here’s to more biopharma participation AND inspiration next year.
In the meantime, we’ll keep cheering for the biomedical innovators building important connections with the public that incents all biomedical progress with just eight cents out of every healthcare dollars, and let BIO castigate the GLP-1 compounders. (For what it’s worth, the NYT ranked the “confusing, unsettling, and unconvincing” Hims spot 64th out of 64: dead last.)
About the Author:
Renny Gleeson is Managing Director, Marketing, at RA Capital Management.
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