• by Sarah Mahoney , Yesterday

Advil hopes to jump into soccer’s big summer with “Rewriting Pain,” a new ad campaign that challenges sports culture’s age-old “no pain, no gain” mentality. The effort taps Jozy Altidore, a forward for the U.S. Men’s National Team, as a spokesperson, and urges people to rethink how they treat their bodies.

For Advil, reportedly the best-selling pain reliever in the U.S., the effort is a chance to “kind of flip the script, rewrite the story on what it means to have real strength,” says Natalie Halpern, Advil’s senior director of marketing. “Sports is one great place to do that, but it's really a message that resonates broadly. For all of us,  pain is a signal. If we recognize it, treat it, and confront it, we’ll come back stronger,” Halpern tells Marketing Daily.

The effort is based on new research that reports 79% of athletes say phrases like “push through the pain,” which can encourage them to ignore body signals. Eighty-six percent believe these phrases can put long-term health at risk. And more than 80% say they believe sports culture treats pain as a necessary part of success -- and they’ve continued playing despite pain because winning felt more important. The company surveyed 1,000 U.S. adults, both current and former athletes, who have competed in collegiate, club or recreational sports.

While it might sound like a disastrous brand strategy -- fewer people in pain means fewer people buying pain relievers -- Advil isn’t worried. “We know pain is going to happen,” she says.  “It's inevitable for everyday consumers living their lives, going to work, getting older, and also for athletes, whether you’re competing in the local rec league or a professional athlete. It’s part of the game.”

The idea is to get people to stop as soon as they feel pain -- "and there's no shame in stopping to treat it,"  Halpern says. "There's no badge of honor for pushing through."

She says that soccer, where players can run between five and eight miles in a game, has plenty of room for pain. “And we certainly felt that with the buzz and excitement around the 2026 World Cup, it was the right time, and a great opportunity for us to bring our message to life.”

While the company is closely tracking the usual metrics on digital engagement, the main goal is “a shift in narrative. And we hope to see others reiterate that message, that real strength is confronting pain and treating the inflammation.”

The company also keeps a close eye on the changing ways consumers treat pain, not just with OTC medicines like Advil, but alternatives like physical therapy or ice baths. The brand is owned by Haleon, which owns other pain relievers, including Panadol and Voltaren. “We think about pain holistically,and want to be part of that consumer toolkit, and part of the broadening set of solutions.”