Opinion | Selling slim: Why celebrity-endorsed GLP-1 ads miss the mark

Celebrities are humans, too. Regardless, we as a society idolize them. People absorb their every move, look and word, which makes it so harmful to have them hawking the latest weight loss craze — GLP-1s. In the last year, there has been an alarming increase in the use of GLP-1 medications for weight loss. The Super Bowl commercial breaks were filled with every brand of this medication advertising its benefits. I have no opinion on whether one should be on a GLP-1, or if its methodology is necessarily ethical, but when it comes to the way brands promote the product, I draw the line. 

Ro, a telehealth company, now mainly advertises their ability to prescribe you any GLP-1 medication without seeing you or understanding your personal history beyond a medical chart. Regardless of this questionable business practice, their biggest spokesperson is none other than Serena Williams. 

Williams, once ranked No. 1 for over five years by the Women’s Tennis Association, has 39 Grand Slam titles, five WTA titles and is now a proud mom. This is not her first appearance in medical advertisements — she once hawked UBRELVY, a migraine medication. In 2024, the FDA criticized the brand for misleading claims that it eliminated migraines within two hours, which was not demonstrated in trial. Only 20% of the test group felt pain relief within two hours after their first dose. While Williams herself did not run the study, write the script or know the claims were misleading, a celebrity endorsement from such a powerful and respected figure needs to be accurate. I am sure a lot of individuals asked their doctors about this prescription after hearing a real story from one of America’s most prestigious athletes. 

Now, endorsing GLP-1 medications leads to a whole new debate. The latest magic pill marketed for weight loss is being used by one in eight adults. The prescription is not solely written for weight loss — it also helps those with diabetes and high cholesterol. However, the majority of ads promote the medication as a way to lose weight. The campaign done by Ro with Williams is seriously damaging to society.

To start, Williams can afford private workout sessions, a personal trainer or coach to motivate her, along with healthy foods and meal plans. These additional expensive resources are not in the hands of most. Most importantly, Serena Williams is the ideal athletic body type to many. In a world where women are told to be skin and bone, having inspirational women like Williams to promote strong, healthy bodies is needed. Now, women will see that even those with a body nobody critiques should be losing weight. Williams got on the medication following her pregnancy, but that is not what society will hear. She spoke in recent public appearances about how the medication has also helped to decrease her cholesterol and reduce her potential risk of diabetes, which runs in her family. Regardless of her reasons for being on medication, the uptick of celebrities using such medications specifically for weight loss is damaging. 

Now, former basketball star Charles Barkley is joining Williams to help promote Ro. Neither of these prominent athletes went to medical school nor could they understand the true human struggle of obesity. While they may have health issues or a few pounds to lose, having access to health coaching and other resources to lose weight makes a world of a difference, no matter what you inject yourself with.

Beyond athletes, other celebrities have admitted to being on GLP-1 medications. In the latest season of the controversial show “Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” one of the stars, Layla Taylor, admitted to being prescribed such medication when she weighed nearly 100 pounds. Celebrities like Sharon Osbourne, Chrissy Teigen and Meghan Trainor have all hopped on the GLP-1 bandwagon, and not just to be healthier. 

Celebrity weight and the public eye are always at odds. Society constantly picks on celebrities for every extra pound, imperfection and flaw that makes them human. While filters and Photoshop can disguise a little, the world is brutal to those willing enough to thrust their every action into the limelight. GLP-1 medications are not the root cause of this issue. Still, celebrities like Serena Williams advertising these medications can lead to a lot of damage for women who look up to her. 

Sierra O’Neil is a junior marketing major who loves long walks, overpriced coffee and overanalyzing social media ads. A Pittsburgh native, she is always looking for different places to explore and companies to hire her as their new intern. Connect with Sierra by emailing her at [email protected].