After Novartis’ Pluvicto shook up iSpot.TV’s monthly rankings of the top TV advertising spenders in pharma to kick off the year, it was back to business as usual in February.
AbbVie’s immunology blockbusters Rinvoq and Skyrizi took the first and second slots, respectively, for the month, resuming the custom they upheld throughout most of 2024. Those gains over January, when the drugs fell to third and fourth on the list, came even as spending dropped for both meds: AbbVie spent $34.8 million on Rinvoq’s TV ads and $27 million on Skyrizi’s in February, compared to $42.5 million and $34 million a month prior.
The third-place slot marked another return to form. Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy reclaimed the seat it held in December, backed by $25.8 million in TV ad spending, following a slip to sixth in January. Novo’s other GLP-1 giant, however, held steady from its January ranking: With $10.6 million behind it, Ozempic stayed in 10th place for the month.
The fourth- and fifth-place seats went to two other mainstays on iSpot’s monthly roundups. Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent, which climbed one spot from its fifth-place finish in January, was the star of six ads throughout the month, while Johnson & Johnson’s Tremfya, runner-up for the previous two months, fell to fifth with four spots on air.
Lundbeck and Otsuka’s neurology med Rexulti took sixth, thanks to just under $20 million spent on a trio of ads for the drug’s uses in treating depression and Alzheimer’s-associated agitation.
Pluvicto was completely absent from February’s list despite a swift ascendance in late 2024 that culminated in its taking the top spot on January’s ranking. But Novartis itself did make its way to seventh place in February, courtesy of the eye-catching “Your Attention, Please” breast cancer awareness campaign that debuted at the Super Bowl. According to iSpot, Novartis spent $17.7 million throughout February to air the minute-long commercial at the core of the campaign, representing the bulk of its $18.2 million full-month outlay.
Rounding out the February rankings ahead of Ozempic were Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s Jardiance, which held steady in eighth place, and Merck’s Keytruda, which hasn’t made an appearance in the monthly top 10 since August.
Nearly all of February’s totals represented decreases from January, which was an extraordinarily strong month for TV drug ad spending, with a combined $302.5 million thrown behind the top 10 brands. Despite major advertising opportunities like the Super Bowl and various award shows throughout the month, February’s total clocked in well below that, with $204.5 million across the 10 biggest spenders—repeating a pattern seen in the first two months of last year, too.
Below, find the full data for February’s 10 biggest pharma ad spenders, as compiled by iSpot.TV.
1. Rinvoq
Movement: Up two spots
What is it? AbbVie’s JAKi immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $34.8 million (down from $42.5 million in January)
Number of spots: Five (two eczema, two UC/Crohn’s, one arthritis)
Biggest-ticket ad: “Just Okay: Jet Ski” (est. $13.6 million)
2. Skyrizi
Movement: Up two spots
What is it? AbbVie’s immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $27 million (down from $34 million in January)
Number of spots: Four (three psoriasis, one Crohn’s/UC)
Biggest-ticket ad: “In the Picture” (est. $15.4 million)
3. Wegovy
Movement: Up three spots
What is it? Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 agonist for obesity
Est. national TV ad spend: $25.8 million (down from $31 million in January)
Number of spots: One
Biggest-ticket ad: “Discover the Power: $0” (est. $25.8 million)
4. Dupixent
Movement: Up one spot
What is it? Sanofi and Regeneron’s immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $22.4 million (down from $32 million in January)
Number of spots: Six (two asthma, four eczema)
Biggest-ticket ad: “This Is Better: Roller Disco” (est. $8.6 million)
5. Tremfya
Movement: Down three spots
What is it? Johnson & Johnson’s immunology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $20.1 million (down from $44.1 million in January)
Number of spots: Four (three psoriasis, one ulcerative colitis)
Biggest-ticket ad: “Break Away” (est. $10.7 million)
6. Rexulti
Movement: Up one spot
What is it? Lundbeck and Otsuka’s neurology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $19.3 million (down from $21.8 million in January)
Number of spots: Two (one depression, one Alzheimer’s)
Biggest-ticket ad: “Still Masking: Garage and Office” (est. $11.8 million)
7. Novartis
Movement: Not listed last month
Est. national TV ad spend: $18.2 million (up from $0 in January)
Number of spots: Three
Biggest-ticket ad: “Attention Now” (est. $17.7 million)
8. Jardiance
Movement: No change
What is it? Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim’s diabetes and kidney disease drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $13.9 million (down from $20.8 million in January)
Number of spots: Two (one CKD, one diabetes)
Biggest-ticket ad: “Musical: Store” (est. $10.7 million)
9. Keytruda
Movement: Not listed last month
What is it? Merck’s oncology drug
Est. national TV ad spend: $12.4 million (up from $7.8 million in January)
Number of spots: Five
Biggest-ticket ad: “Known For: Pursuing Your Passions” (est. $5.9 million)
10. Ozempic
Movement: No change
What is it? Novo Nordisk’s GLP-1 agonist for diabetes
Est. national TV ad spend: $10.6 million (down from $14.2 million in January)
Number of spots: One
Biggest-ticket ad: “Discover the Ozempic Tri-Zone: Boxing” (est. $10.6 million)