To help spread the message that managing Type 2 diabetes “doesn’t have to be a solo act,” Eli Lilly, fittingly, is assembling a star-studded team.
First on the roster for the “Duets for Type 2 Diabetes” campaign, which launched Thursday, is Eric Stonestreet, the Emmy-winning actor best known for his role in the long-running sitcom “Modern Family.”
In a two-minute video on the campaign’s website, Stonestreet and his mother, Jamey, both of whom have Type 2 diabetes, talk about their experiences with the condition. Stonestreet says Mounjaro has been “like a teammate” after it was recommended by his doctor to help lower his A1C, alongside lifestyle changes like diet and exercise.
The actor then recommended the drug to his mother, they recall, before he adds, “We’re hoping to inspire others to talk to their doctors about treatment options that are right for them. It’s important to have a partner, too, during this journey—isn’t it?”
In line with the “Duets” theme, the video is interspersed with clips of the Stonestreets playing various instruments, including the piano, drums and triangle.
In a statement shared on the campaign site, Stonestreet describes how he kept his Type 2 diabetes diagnosis private at first because he was “worried about the stigma associated with the disease.”
“I wish I knew then what I eventually learned from my own experiences—that no one should be embarrassed about their diagnosis, and being open about it with the people who support you can have an impact,” he continues, noting how he and his mother “support each other every step of the way.”
Elsewhere on the site, the campaign urges people with Type 2 diabetes to share their own stories of the “duet partners” who have provided support as they manage the condition, while another link invites visitors to “learn more” about Mounjaro.
In a further play on the musical theme of the campaign, Lilly has teamed up with iHeartRadio to get the word out. The campaign is set to be featured at the iHeartCountry Festival this weekend and at the iHeartRadio Music Festival in September.
The latter event will see Lilly recruit another celebrity to the cause. The campaign site teases the upcoming announcement of a “major country music star” who will offer “a special performance to uplift the diabetes community”; a Lilly spokesperson confirmed to Fierce Pharma Marketing on May 9 that the mystery star is Tim McGraw.
Editor's note: This story was updated May 12 with additional information about Tim McGraw's involvement in the campaign.