For decades, pharmaceutical advertising largely revolved around television commercials urging patients to ask their doctors about branded medication. Increasingly, however, drugmakers are investing in a different kind of marketing campaign—one built around trusted athletes who have publicly discussed their own health struggles.
The latest example is two-time Super Bowl champion Terrell Davis. The former Denver Broncos running back has partnered with Teva Pharmaceuticals to raise awareness for Tardive Dyskinesia, a neurological movement disorder characterized as a side effect of certain medications used to treat mental health conditions.
The campaign directs patients to educational resources while encouraging them to discuss symptoms with healthcare providers. For Teva, the awareness also aligns with commercial interests. The company manufactures Austedo, one of the leading prescription treatments approved for Tardive Dyskinesia and a significant revenue driver for Teva as it faces generic competition on older drugs.
Davis insists his involvement with the program, named “The Other TD,” is related. Although he is compensated as part of the Teva partnership, he said his involvement was driven by personal experience.
