AbbVie Dominates TV Drug Ad Spending for Third Consecutive Year, While Novo Nordisk's Wegovy Makes Significant Impact

In a year marked by intense competition and shifting market dynamics, AbbVie has maintained its stronghold on pharmaceutical television advertising, while newcomers like Novo Nordisk's Wegovy have made substantial inroads. This comprehensive overview examines the latest trends in pharmaceutical marketing expenditure and their implications for the industry.

AbbVie's Continued Dominance in TV Ad Spending

For the third year running, AbbVie has secured its position as the top TV drug advertiser, with its immunology blockbusters Skyrizi and Rinvoq leading the charge. Skyrizi claimed the top spot with an estimated $376.7 million spent on 20 separate ads across various indications, including psoriasis, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and psoriatic arthritis. Rinvoq followed closely behind, with $337.8 million invested in 15 commercials targeting arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and eczema.

Despite a slight decrease in spending compared to the previous year, AbbVie's strategy of heavily promoting its immunology portfolio has paid off, with both drugs maintaining their positions at the top of the list. The company's biggest-ticket ad for Skyrizi, titled "Sailing," accounted for an estimated $89.3 million of the total spend.

Novo Nordisk's Wegovy Makes a Splash in TV Advertising

In a notable shift from the previous year, Novo Nordisk's obesity treatment Wegovy entered the top TV ad spenders list at number four. The company invested $261.5 million in four commercials for the GLP-1 agonist, with its "Discover the Power" ad alone accounting for an estimated $185.7 million. This significant expenditure marks a stark contrast to 2023, when Novo Nordisk did not engage in traditional TV advertising for Wegovy.

The substantial investment in Wegovy's TV presence reflects the growing importance of the obesity market and Novo Nordisk's commitment to establishing a strong position in this therapeutic area.

Shifts in the Top 10 Rankings

While AbbVie maintained its dominance, other pharmaceutical companies saw changes in their rankings. Sanofi and Regeneron's Dupixent held steady at third place, with $276 million spent on TV ads across multiple indications. Johnson & Johnson's Tremfya made a notable comeback, rising to sixth place with a more than tripled investment of $160.8 million compared to the previous year.

Conversely, some drugs experienced a decline in rankings. Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim's diabetes drug Jardiance fell from fourth to seventh place, while Novo Nordisk's Ozempic dropped one spot to eighth. AstraZeneca's respiratory therapy Breztri Aerosphere re-entered the top 10 list at ninth place, thanks to a significant increase in spending from $70.1 million in 2023 to $123.5 million in 2024.

The pharmaceutical industry's total TV ad spend for the top 10 drugs reached an impressive $2.13 billion in 2024, marking a substantial increase from the previous year's $1.94 billion. This uptick in spending underscores the continued importance of television advertising in the pharmaceutical sector, despite the growing influence of digital marketing channels.

As the industry continues to evolve, companies are likely to refine their marketing strategies, balancing traditional TV advertising with emerging digital platforms to maximize their reach and impact in an increasingly competitive landscape.