• by Les Luchter , July 2, 2024

Eli Lilly’s “Get Better” corporate ad campaign, which began with a splash earlier this year, has expanded into its third condition-specific topic: health equity for people with skin conditions.

While earlier iterations of the campaign boasted big premieres -- an eponymous spot during the ABC Championship Game, an Alzheimer’s-focused spot right after the Super Bowl, obesity-focused spots around the Oscars -- the latest chapter has launched more modestly with social media posts and ads.

“An eczema diagnosis should not depend on skin color,” reads the copy atop a photo of a Black dad and his daughter in one post. “Your skin color shouldn’t stand in the way of a proper diagnosis,” says the text. “There’s a gap in care for people with skin of color in dermatology. See what we’re doing to change that.” That’s followed by a link to the “Get Better” website.

“Our clinical trial imagery highlighting diverse skin tones will be shared with doctors so more patients can receive proper care,” reads the text of one Meta ad.

“An eczema diagnosis should not depend on skin color,” reads another.

On the “Get Better” site, people learn that “receiving a proper diagnosis or treatment shouldn’t depend on factors like your zip code or your skin color. Seeing yourself represented in the educational materials about your disease should be a given. There is a gap in care for people with skin of color in dermatology, and we’re working to address the inequities—and more—with our work in immunology.”

Also on the eczema front, Lilly has just launched a partnership with U.S. Olympic gold medal gymnast Suni Lee.  (Lilly is Team USA’s partner in prescription medicine and health equity.)

“What many fans didn’t know during the Tokyo games was that Suni was struggling with eczema, a condition she’s dealt with for many years,” the brand reveals during a 25-second Facebook video. “With determination, Suni is now partnering with Lilly to raise eczema awareness.”

The video directs viewers “always anticipating the next flare” to visit FaceMyEczema.com. That site is dedicated to Lilly’s partnership with the gymnast, but, like the “Better Again” campaign, avoids mentioning any specific Lilly products.

That’s logical, since Lilly’s eczema-fighting drug -- dubbed Lebrikizumab -- has yet to be approved by the FDA (it is on sale in Europe under the brand name Ebglyss).

In March, Lilly released results of a study showing that more than two-thirds of people of color suffering from eczema experienced improvement in skin clearance and itch relief after using lebrikizumab.

Lilly expects to receive FDA approval during the second half of this year, Chief Scientific Officer and President of Lilly Immunology Dan Skovronsky told analysts during the company’s Q1 earnings call in April.