<div id="readability-page-1"><div id="article-body-row"> <div> Flashy three pointers; top athletes playing under the lights; cameras focusing in on our celebrity making a game-winning shot—all elements you’d typically associate with a Big Pharma ad featuring a major athletic celebrity. Not for Eli Lilly though. The Indianapolis company has teamed up with the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark in a subdued 60-second ad that focuses on health and the power of sports. In the new ad, launched Saturday May 9 under the tagline “Start How You Can”, we see Clark practicing on her own in a simple setting. Beyond Clark we see a multitude of other, everyday people either starting new physical activities or returning after injury or illness through a variety of sports and training. That includes a pregnant mother running on a track or an amputee doing push ups in normal clothes with his young son at home. Clark narrates throughout the ad that “People think you’re either good at something, or you’re not. But really, you set a goal, and you show up.” There’s nothing “fancy” here; Clark is simply in normal workout clothes and does not dominate the ad; we see more of the other people than her. And much like Pfizer's publicity run during the COVID pandemic, this isn’t so much about products but good health generally. “I think that’s what makes it interesting,” explained Lina Polimeni, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Consumer at Lilly, in an interview with Fierce Pharma Marketing. “Most superstar athletes are framed in high-tempo montages that make the rest of us feel like we’re watching a different species,&#34; Polimeni said. &#34;We did the opposite. Caitlin is grounded, present, honest about the work. And she shares the screen with people from completely different walks of life—each of them starting how they can. “We didn’t want perfection. We wanted truth. Because the journey to better health doesn’t begin with perfection. It begins with a first step. Wherever you are. However that looks.” Polimeni said the “Start How You Can” ad is about shifting the conversation from reactive to proactive. “From waiting until something goes wrong to simply starting wherever you are today,&#34; she said. &#34;That’s not a campaign strategy. That’s what ‘health above all’ actually looks like in practice.” Lilly has a long association with sports, having been a major part of the Tokyo Olympics and last month's hosting of the NCAA Final Four basketball games. This month also marks Lilly's 150th anniversary, a milestone that has made the company look inward. But why tap Clark for this latest campaign? “Caitlin is an incredible athlete,&#34; Polimeni explained. &#34;Her visibility gives the message reach—that part is obvious. But reach wasn’t the reason. “What stood out was her perspective. Caitlin genuinely believes that exercise is foundational to better health regardless of where someone starts. That’s not a message we handed her. That’s who she is. “There’s also something meaningful about the Indianapolis connection—Lilly’s hometown, the Fever’s hometown, launching alongside the WNBA season opener. But shared geography was never the strategy. Shared values were. Those just happened to come with the same zip code.” The launch is built around the Indiana Fever season opener on May 9th that was broadcast on ABC. Sunday May 10th, centerspread placements hit the New York Times, LA Times, and Indianapolis Star simultaneously, Polimeni said. On socials, takeovers with The Gist embed the campaign directly into WNBA opening weekend coverage. National takeovers on Snapchat—First Story and First Commercial—surround the full digital conversation. The campaign then sustains through the NBA Playoffs, NHL Playoffs, and NWSL season. “We’re not showing up once and walking away,” Polimeni said. “That’s never been the approach. We want the conversation around Health to continue to be present throughout the year; that’s why our commitment to the message extends the campaign across multiple tentpole moments.” </div> </div></div>

LLYZ

Eli Lilly has launched a new ad campaign featuring Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark, focusing on health and sports under the tagline "Start How You Can." The 60-second ad showcases everyday people engaging in physical activities, emphasizing that health journeys begin with small steps. Senior VP Lina Polimeni highlighted the campaign's aim to shift the conversation from reactive to proactive health. The campaign coincides with the WNBA season opener and will continue through major sports events, aiming to keep the dialogue on health ongoing throughout the year.

Eli Lilly shoots for health in new Caitlin Clark ad campaign