Hims & Hers drafts Super Bowl star Rob Gronkowski to drive men's health awareness

Notoriously laid-back NFL star Rob Gronkowski is looking to score for the telehealth and medication delivery service Hims & Hers Health with messages on social media, digital, TV and streaming audio.

Gronkowski—nicknamed “Gronk” and well-known as a favorite passing target for star quarterback and friend Tom Brady—hits Hims & Hers’ millennial target right in the numbers. Chief Medical Officer Patrick Carroll, M.D., said his own millennial son, who’s a fan of Gronk’s former team, the New England Patriots, excitedly texted him about the news.

“This is the way that demographic relates,” Carroll said, noting that the campaign helps people realize that the famous people they “know”—like Gronk and other Hims & Hers spokespeople, such as singer Miley Cyrus—have the same problems they do.

“It’s very effective in terms of de-stigmatizing healthcare for this demographic,” he said.

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But it’s not just mental health and sensitive health issues such as hair loss or erectile dysfunction that men avoid addressing. Seventy-two percent of men said they would rather be doing housework like cleaning the bathroom or mowing the lawn than going to see a doctor, according to a Cleveland Clinic survey.

Gronkowski joined Hims & Hers to raise awareness around men's overall health, but will specifically focus on hair loss and mental health. He’s already featured prominently on the Hims & Hers website and will represent the brand in TV ads, podcasts, streaming audio, social media posts, out-of-home advertising and digital promotions.

Hims & Hers' direct-to-consumer healthcare service combines telehealth and prescription medication delivery. Patients begin by answering screening questions on the website and can then be referred for a virtual doctor visit with registered medical professionals licensed in their area. If the person qualifies for medication, the provider sends the prescription through the company's online pharmacy for at-home delivery.

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Along with Rx generic products like finasteride for hair loss, for instance, consumers can add on related over-the-counter products such as thickening shampoo and biotin vitamin gummies. Consumers pay a monthly subscription to cover the medication, delivery and ongoing access to medical professionals.

Carroll said the Hims & Hers business was growing briskly before the pandemic thanks to increasing awareness and new product lines. But pandemic-fueled virtual visits and mental health needs likely boosted sales—Hims & Hers reported second-quarter 2021 revenue of $61 million, up 69% year over year and following on a 74% increase in the first quarter.

“Where we’re going in the future is to add on more condition states, especially in chronic conditions that we can very safely and effectively treat in an affordable way on our platform," Carroll said. "There’s no reason we can’t expand into 80-90% of the conditions I treated as a family physician day in and day out."