The Third M: Media News How did the health ads perform at the 2026 Winter Olympics? While Eli Lilly soared, medical apparel brand Figs stumbled, according to data from Kantar. Jack O'Brien February 27, 2026 12:58 pm Credit: Getty Images / Matthias Hangst Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn Share on Reddit Share by Email Print Key takeaways Kantar analyzed a number of spots that ran during the Winter Olympics, including spots from the likes of Eli Lilly, AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson as well as Figs. According to Kantar’s analysis, Lilly’s nostalgic, archival-themed Never Over deeply resonated with viewers when it came to enjoyment, brand equity and being different from other ads. Meanwhile, the Figs ad was described in the Kantar analysis as an “apparel ad acting like a healthcare ad, or worse, an ad about a celebrity athlete.” The 2026 Winter Olympics were defined by a number of factors: the U.S. claiming a record 12 gold medals, the unmatched dominance of Norwegian cross country skier Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and the pronounced presence of pharma ads. Building on the momentum pharma brands have achieved partnering with sports leagues, franchises and individual athletes, the Winter Olympics offered drugmakers a global stage to advertise in front of a massive audience of highly engaged viewers. Ad measurement firm Kantar analyzed a number of spots that ran during the two weeklong competition, including spots from the likes of Eli Lilly, AbbVie, Johnson & Johnson as well as medical apparel brand Figs. While some companies ran with ads that had aired previously — viewers likely encountered repeat showings of shortened versions of Novo Nordisk’s celeb-laden Wegovy spot that premiered during Super Bowl LX — Lilly and Figs debuted commercials specifically for the occasion. Kantar’s SVP of creative strategy Kerry Benson noted that healthcare ads typically underperform other categories in Kantar’s database for several reasons, such as heavy regulatory and compliance constraints, overuse of problem–solution formulas for commercials as well as serious, institutional tones However, citing Novartis’ light-hearted prostate cancer awareness push that aired during the Super Bowl, she noted a shift from formulaic frameworks to more relatable, enjoyable ads. “Prostate cancer is a serious thing and getting tested for it is a serious thing, but they make it like, ‘Hey, don’t overthink it. Just get it done,’” she said. “They did it in a way that is very relatable, makes you laugh and is highly enjoyable.” For medical marketers, the clearest takeaways from the games is that Lilly continues to soar ahead, Figs had a swing and a miss with its Lindsey Vonn spot and all eyes will now turn to the next worldwide sporting contest: the FIFA World Cup. Lilly leads the way As a sponsor of Team USA, it’s not surprising that Lilly debuted two ads for the Winter Games, but it was notable that they both performed exceptionally well. According to Kantar’s analysis, Lilly’s nostalgic, archival-themed Never Over deeply resonated with viewers when it came to enjoyment, brand equity and being different from other ads. Meanwhile, its Kisunla spot featuring a few of Lilly’s roster of Olympians scored in the 90th percentile for being meaningful, the 87th for being different and the 84th for driving brand equity. In a post‑pandemic environment where consumers have gravitated toward humor and relatability, Benson acknowledged that healthcare has lagged behind brands in other sectors. However, she asserted that Lilly’s advertising approach — supported by longtime Nike ad partner Weiden+Kennedy — has established a clear corporate identity with consumers. “[Lilly] isn’t afraid to tap into cultural moments and they definitely have a strong point of view,” she said. “The whole message [of It’s Never Over ] is all about test, test, test. They use the metaphor of an Olympic athlete training, which is really enjoyable. You start to get an idea about Lilly as a company and a brand being in the know.” Mike Griffin, VP at Kantar, added that one thematic throughline for the ads that ran during the Olympics is movement. He singled out the latest iteration of Astellas Pharma’s yearslong Hot Flash, Not Flash effort to promote its menopause symptom medication Veozah as breaking out of the static nature that typically hampers the effectiveness of pharma advertising. “With Hot Flash, Not Flash, we have that kind of balance we were talking about before, where it’s way less about what she’s feeling with the hot flashes, and more about not flashes and where she’s going.” Figs’ spot marred by bad timing, poor execution On the other side of the coin is the misfortune of Figs’ 30-second spot featuring downhill skiing icon Lindsey Vonn. For context, the spot was released prior to the opening ceremony. Obviously, the brand could have never predicted Vonn’s catastrophic crash following a major leg injury shortly before the games began, which adversely affected the reception for the quick-cutting ad. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FIGS (@wearfigs) However, Benson noted that even if Vonn hadn’t crashed out, this high-profile commercial underperformed significantly compared to other ads in Kantar’s database when it came to impact, brand equity and being meaningful. The Figs ad was described in the Kantar analysis as an “apparel ad acting like a healthcare ad, or worse, an ad about a celebrity athlete.” Even as an official partner to the U.S. Olympic healthcare team, Figs registered only in the 15th percentile for branding with its Vonn-centic spot, per Kantar. Though not a pharma ad, Benson said the key learning for medical marketers is to ensure that a commercial underscores the brand’s role in a clear, articulate way for the audience. An emotional story and a celebrity are not enough, she added, reiterating that the creative must highlight the brand’s role explicitly and early. World Cup lessons abound As eyes turn from the end of football season and the Olympics, the next major sporting event is the FIFA World Cup, which will run from mid-June to mid-July. With a projected global audience totaling in the billions, pharma brands will be eager to make their presence felt. Just this week, Sanofi announced it will serve as an official supporter of host city Boston for the World Cup. Though some medical marketers may argue that carving out a space to have their brand’s voice heard during a major athletic competition is an expensive and challenging proposition, there are ways to be effective beyond a logo slap. Extrapolating the mission of the health company into a broader support mechanism for fans is a simple but effective one. Pairing the corporate mission with that of the competing athletes or delivering messages to fans that your medications help them be healthy enough to attend and enjoy the games are a few examples of this approach. Benson also suggested that health brands follow Novartis and Lilly by aligning authentically with major sports events without being overrun by them. She said the recent advertising efforts of those two pharma giants prove drugmakers can follow advertising best practices to be uplifting, culturally relevant, and still clearly healthcare. “The challenge is, how do you align the message of the ad to the big cultural event in a way that the brand doesn’t get overshadowed and the benefit of the brand still comes through,” she said. “That’s not easy to do.” Topics: Advertising Athletics Campaign Medical Marketing MMM Newsletter Weekender Weekend Spotlight
Curated by Taleb Kabbara · Source: www.mmm-online.com