Also this year, Lilly, which manufactures blockbuster weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound, ran a sparse ad during the Oscars that didn’t mention its own brand or any competitors by name. The spot urged consumers to be “skeptical” of weight-loss alternatives flooding the market that are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Lilly plans to run more ads throughout the year showcasing its values, according to Polimeni.
Along with “Striving,” its work over the past four years has aimed to improve the craft and creative quality of pharmaceutical advertising. Lilly’s commercials have been more “cinematic, authentic, and human,” said Polimeni, who added that esteemed directors are now approaching the company about working on projects.
“People tend to dismiss pharma as a place where good creativity doesn’t happen,” Polimeni said. “But talking about health lends itself to a level of creative work that people don’t typically think about with pharma.”
