1. In Vivo
  2. >>Market Intelligence

Did Lilly’s Olympic Ads Test The Boundaries On Celebrity Endorsement?

 
• By Brenda Sandburg

Only one of the six Olympic athletes promoting Lilly’s drugs actually took the product themselves or had a family member that did. Trulicity and Emgality TV ads include disclaimers while Verzenio commercial in memory of volleyball player April Ross’ mother does not.

April Ross
Olympic volleyball player April Ross is featured in a TV ad for cancer drug Verzenio • Source: Screenshot of Eli Lilly's TV commercial for Verzenio

Eli Lilly and Company sponsored six Olympic athletes who promoted the company’s diabetes, migraine and cancer drugs in TV commercials and on patient websites during the Tokyo Olympics. The advertisements had one striking feature: disclaimers for all but one of the athletes that they or their parents who had these diseases did not actually take the drugs.

A TV commercial for Trulicity (dulaglutide) features gymnast Laurie Hernandez and her father, who has diabetes. Superimposed text briefly...

Read the full article – start your free trial today!

Join thousands of industry professionals who rely on In Vivo for daily insights

  • Start your 7-day free trial
  • Explore trusted news, analysis, and insights
  • Access comprehensive global coverage
  • Enjoy instant access – no credit card required
Start Free Trial

Already a subscriber?

More from Market Intelligence

Tackling Fraud In The UK: Pharma, Are You Ready?

 
• By Trevor Francis

UK pharma faces a critical turning point as the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act introduces the "Failure to Prevent Fraud" offense in September 2025, requiring companies to transform their approach to fraud prevention or face severe consequences.

Finding The Fire: AltruBio’s Novel Approach To Autoimmune Disease

 
• By David Wild

CEO Judy Chou brings big pharma experience to tackle chronic inflammation with the company's first-in-class PSGL-1 targeting therapy.

Late-Stage GLP-1 Drug Trials Outside The Cardiometabolic Space

 
• By David Wild

A look at Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly and other companies' late-stage clinical studies of GLP-1 drugs in indications ranging from neurodegeneration to oncology, and alcoholic liver disease to autoimmune conditions.

UK Bets On Regulatory Innovation As Competitive Advantage In Synthetic Biology

 
• By David Wild

The UK government has prioritized synthetic biology and created a "concierge service" for biotechs just as the US cuts science funding.

More from In Vivo

AI In Health Delivery: Patients Most Confident When HCPs Are In Charge

 
• By Ashley Yeo

Annual survey of patients and professionals shows how attitudes to health system transformation are evolving and what stakeholders are demanding as acceptance of AI tools accelerates.

Medtech Innovators Court London-Based Investors At BioWales 2025

 
• By Ashley Yeo

BioWales in London 2025 showcased the efforts healthtech innovators are making to meet investors on their own turf, illustrating changing attitudes and evolving needs.

Rising Leaders 2025: Metsera’s Whit Bernard’s Musical Path To Biotech Leadership

 
• By David Wild

Metsera CEO Whit Bernard applies an unconventional leadership philosophy to develop next-generation obesity therapeutics, including monthly GLP-1 injections and oral peptides.