Eli Lilly is joining Team USA as an official partner for the first time, sponsoring the Olympian and Paralympian athletes headed to Tokyo this summer.
The one-year deal will include a campaign with Team USA athletes engaging as brand ambassadors to raise awareness of conditions such as diabetes, cancer, migraine and psoriasis.
Although no details have been released yet, Lilly is planning “an innovative campaign in support of Team USA across the platforms of NBCUniversal” that will reach millions through a variety of touchpoints, according to a news release.
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“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are a unique opportunity for Lilly to connect with Americans that may benefit from our medicines. And as a global healthcare leader, we can think of no better example of health and wellness than these elite athletes,” Patrik Jonsson, senior VP at Lilly and president of Lilly Bio-Medicines, said.
The partners noted the deal is unique and the first of its kind, with the committee and official media partner NBCUniversal working together to package sponsorship and media time. The partnership allows “Lilly to better reach American consumers with information regarding the company’s portfolio of medicines,” the release notes. Those include new migraine therapy Emgality and psoriasis drug Taltz.
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This summer’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games run July 24 to Aug. 9, followed by the Paralympic Games from Aug. 25 to Sept. 6. While Lilly’s deal is unique, the pharma joins other TeamUSA sponsors including Coca-Cola, P&G, Samsung and Visa.