Apparently, it takes three to bring Boehringer Ingelheim and Eli Lilly’s joint “It Takes 2” initiative to the annual Tournament of Roses Parade next month.
The two pharmas announced Monday that they have teamed up with Core Kidney, a patient support and advocacy group, to deck out a Rose Parade float in honor of their ongoing campaign for comprehensive kidney disease testing.
The float will travel through Pasadena, California, for the annual pre-Rose Bowl parade on New Year’s Day, and it will remain on view through Jan. 3 as part of the Tournament of Roses Floatfest.
During the parade, former NFL star Brian Dawkins will ride on the float alongside Anjay Rastogi M.D., Ph.D., director of Core Kidney, and other members of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) community. In a statement, Dawkins praised the It Takes 2 campaign’s mission to raise awareness of kidney disease testing recommendations for people like his own parents who are at risk of developing CKD.
Parade guidelines require that all floats be completely covered in real flowers and other natural materials. The “It’s In Your Hands: It Takes 2” display will include a “large-scale boombox” on either side, per the release, as the float will continuously play the remix of the 1980s classic song “It Takes Two” that Boehringer and Lilly commissioned from original artist Rob Base when they first launched the campaign last year.
“It Takes Two – The Remix” highlights the campaign’s message that those at risk of developing CKD should undergo both blood and urine tests for the most complete approach to diagnosis.
“Music is universal, making it a powerful vehicle for our message of working with your doctor to request complete testing for kidney disease,” Brian DiDonato, senior VP of Boehringer’s cardiovascular, renal and metabolic franchise, said in this week’s announcement.
“We’re thrilled to raise the volume of this message with our remix and partnership with Brian Dawkins, and hope that by seeing our float, those at risk feel empowered to prioritize their kidney and heart health,” DiDonato continued. “Because not only does complete testing—blood and urine tests—help your kidneys, but it can also uncover hidden cardiovascular risks.”
Overall, the float has been designed to “mirror the patient journey—from teaming up with your doctor to being embraced by the kidney health community,” per the release.
Lilly and Boehringer, co-developers of CKD medication Jardiance, launched the It Takes 2 campaign in late 2023 to raise awareness of the dual-testing approach for what they estimated to be approximately 90% of people who are unaware they have CKD.
“Two of the key drivers of the low diagnostic rates are the lack of awareness and inadequate testing,” Rastogi said in Monday’s release. “In fact, less than 20% of individuals at-risk for kidney disease receive both blood and urine tests. This collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly and Brian Dawkins is a tremendous opportunity to underscore the importance of not only the doctor-patient relationship but also guideline directed testing when it comes to kidney health.”