Novartis Tells Men to ‘Relax Your Tight End’ for Super Bowl LX

Health topics are hard to broach on a stage as big as the Super Bowl. When the topic is scary there’s always a risk of alienating an audience who might prefer to turn a blind eye. More often than not in such cases, humour is your best friend.

Global medicines company and official pharmaceutical partner of the NFL, Novartis, has found that sweet spot. Its newest ad, with creative from Fallon and direction from Eric Wareheim via PRETTYBIRD, will air during Super Bowl LX. Its title, ‘Relax, it’s a blood test’, taps into a concern all too familiar for many men.

Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among men in the US. According to the brand, early detection leads to a greater than 99% relative five-year survival rate, yet many men avoid screenings, and 60% mistakenly believe that it requires an invasive digital rectal exam. The reality is that the first step is a simple blood test.

The spot cleverly flirts with the ‘tight end’ double entendre. A star studded cast feature in the spot, including current tight ends George Kittle (San Francisco 49ers) and Colby Parkinson (Los Angeles Rams), along with NFL greats Rob Gronkowski (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Greg Olsen (Carolina Panthers), Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons), Delanie Walker (Tennessee Titans), and Vernon Davis (San Francisco 49ers).

Novartis said each star brings a personal connection to prostate cancer and a “shared commitment to breaking down stigma, normalising men’s health conversations, and motivating men to discuss PSA blood tests with their doctors.”

Super Bowl-winning coach Bruce Arians, who also stars in the film, said he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2007, and that early detection saved his life. “I hear men all the time say they’re hesitant to get screened because of what they think it involves. There is no need to avoid it if you talk to a doctor and learn your risk. You can relax, it’s a blood test.”

As far as awareness campaigns go, this cuts through stigma and addresses anxieties while being light enough to consume. “Novartis has a long history of tackling the toughest challenges in healthcare,” said Victor Bultö, president of Novartis US. “Early detection of prostate cancer can make a meaningful difference to outcomes, but the fear of a potentially uncomfortable exam causes many of us to avoid making an appointment.

“By teaming up with the NFL and these celebrated players, we’re empowering men nationwide to take the first step: a simple blood test.”

For Shane Jacobson, CEO of American Cancer Society, a long-time partner of the NFL, it is by working with partners like Novartis to break down barriers that “we can help men detect prostate cancer earlier, expand equitable access to care, and fundamentally change what a diagnosis means for patients and their families.”

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