• by Les Luchter , April 29, 2025

“Ro, ro, ro your weight, gently off your bod,” sings Charles Barkley in a :30 spot premiering during tonight’s NBA playoff coverage on TNT, where he’ll also be seen in his longtime role as in-studio analyst.

The campaign, designed to promote the availability and convenience of GLP-1s through Ro, kicks off a multiyear celebrity ambassador relationship between the telehealth provider and the former NBA star/current broadcaster.

Created with the Young Hero agency, the commercial also pokes fun at Barkley’s penchant for off-the-cuff commentary, as viewers are told that while Ro can help him lost weight, it “can’t help him lose his big mouth.”

The campaign includes two additional commercials, which will be rolling out through May on linear TV, streaming platforms and digital, with particular emphasis on sports and entertainment events, says Ro.

All three spots, which come in both :30 and :60 edits, are directed by Brandon “Beedy” Pierce, known for his Dunkin DunKings Super Bowl ad starring Ben Affleck.

Each “highlights different behind-the-scenes moments filming a Ro commercial, but all stay true to letting Charles be his authentic, larger-than-life self,” Ro’s Chief Product Officer Saman Rahmanian tells Marketing Daily.

According to the commercials and three interview clips being used on social media (see here, here and here), Barkley previously lost 50 pounds “really, really quickly” on GLP-1s, gained much of it back when shortages affected access, hasn’t been on GLP-1s for nearly a year, and is now seeking to lose 65 pounds via Ro.

“I was disappointed I didn't get to finish my journey,” Barkley says in one of the social media clips, but Ro has now “made it really convenient. I don’t even think it took 10 minutes" to sign up.

Those shortages of brand-name GLP-1s that Barkley mentions helped propel the growth of compounded GLP-1s at Ro and other telehealth companies -- but with the FDA having now declared GLP-1 shortages over, Ro is already done with selling compounded versions. Instead, it offers brand-name Ozempic and Wegovy from Novo Nordisk and Zepbound from Eli Lilly.

Barkley is “restarting his weight loss journey” with “seamless access to Zepbound vials through Ro’s collaboration with LillyDirect, along with consistent support to help him reach his goals,” Rahmanian says.

“We’re focused on helping him reach his weight loss goals and will keep sharing his journey to inspire others to take charge of their health,” he adds.

The target audience? “Adults who are exploring weight management options,” says Rahmanian, “especially people who may have been interested in GLP-1 treatments, but were discouraged by access issues or stigma.”

Barkley himself is stressing age. “It’s kind of hard to lose weight when you get older,” says the 62-year-old in one of the clips. “Your metabolism changes…so you don’t have the ability to work out five or six hours a day…I want to get in shape because I’m getting older. My doctor said it best, ‘There ain’t no fat old people.’”

As part of the Barkley ambassadorship, Ro said it will collaborate with his new production company, Round Mound Media, on projects for obesity education, reflecting “a shared commitment to advancing health equity and reaching communities that have historically faced barriers to healthcare.”

The collaboration, Ro said, will raise awareness around the efficacy of GLP-1s, share updates on Barkley’s own journey, and help more people “feel empowered to take control of their weight loss journey and overall health.”