Pro golfer James Hahn will be donning the logo for IBSA Pharma’s new pain patch, Licart, on the back of his golf shirt when he hits the links on the PGA tour from now on.
The Swiss drugmaker tapped Hahn as a paid spokesman for the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) patch, which won FDA approval in late 2020 to treat acute pain from minor strains, sprains and bruises.
As part of the deal, Hahn has agreed to wear the Licart logo on his clothing and will also promote the brand on social media and during in-person events, the company said.
“As a successful golfer with a rigorous PGA Tour schedule, James is the perfect example of the type of active person who benefits from using Licart,” IBSA Pharma CEO Aldo Donati said in a news release.
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In an April 18 post on his official Instagram account, Hahn pitched Licart as “perfect for the aches and pains” that come with his demanding athletic career.
“I put the patch directly on my back or other areas that hurt, and within a few hours I feel better,” he said in a post marked with the hashtags #ad and #paidsponsorship. “If you have a strenuous job, Licart may be perfect for you too.”
Hahn, who joined the PGA tour in 2013 and has two wins, also appears in a 15-second campaign video where he’s shown retrieving a Licart package from his golf bag and commenting that the patch helps him to “stay on top of my game.”
Sports and celebrity marketing agency KHI Management, founded by NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana, represents Hahn, according to KHI’s website.
The boutique agency gave the new partnership a shoutout on its own social media channels earlier this month, tweeting “#TEAMKHI welcomed a new partner in the fold with @JamesHahnPGA, Licart, the only once-a-day topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) therapy!”
IBSA brought the first NSAID patch therapy to the market with its earlier brand Flector, but says the new drug uses “next-generation patch technology” for quicker and longer-lasting pain relief. It only needs to be applied once a day, while Flector has twice-daily dosing.
Like Flector, Licart contains 1.3% diclofenac epolamine, a NSAID. Unlike oral NSAIDs, the drug is only absorbed in the area where the patch is applied.
IBSA now markets both topical pain remedies after Pfizer returned the marketing rights for Flector to IBSA last year.