蘑菇AV

Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced a bill to force pharma companies to list drug prices in their direct-to-consumer ads.HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. repeatedly advocated for stricter regulations or even ban on pharma advertising.

After years of emphasizing direct-to-consumer under former CEO John Donahoe, Nike is now rebalancing its approach. That pivot was evident in the company鈥檚 FYQ4 numbers:. Nike Direct revenues fell 14% YoY to $4.4 billion. Wholesale revenues dropped 9% to $6.4 billion. Other Q4 highlights:. Earnings per share were 14 cents, down 86% YoY, but slightly above the expected 13 cents.

CJ, Publicis Groupe鈥檚 affiliate marketing agency, just announced a first-party integration with TikTok Shop that now integrates the platform鈥檚 performance data with other affiliate channels like Amazon and DTC sites, according to a press release. Some 50% of US consumers take product recommendation suggestions from influencers on TikTok Shop, according to February 2024 data from PartnerCentric.

Football is one of the few remaining bright spots for linear TV viewership, but the NFL鈥檚 recent purchase of a 10% stake in ESPN (which will launch a DTC streaming offering on August 21) signals its belief in a streaming-first future. Our take: Though linear still commands more ad spending than streaming for now, money and viewership are becoming more entrenched within streaming.

ESPN, whose direct-to-consumer streaming service launches this fall, will stream seven more regular season NFL games in addition to NFL-related broadcasts like Redzone and The NFL Network. Disney will also gain access to the NFL鈥檚 fantasy football league and could integrate gambling through the ESPN BET sportsbook.

We鈥檙e not only seeing price wars emerge between Novo and Lilly, but also among PBMs, insurers, and D2C companies鈥攁ll of whom want to stake their position as the best channel for consumers to acquire weight loss drugs.

"It has men's personal care, a huge up-and-coming category crowded with direct-to-consumer brands (D2Cs) that need to find a way to stand out. It has a very relevant actress and it has controversy.". The timing was strategic, coinciding with Sweeney's movie promotion cycle, creating "a perfect storm," according to our analyst Rachel Wolff. Encouraging digital disconnection in a connected world.

Current TV ad campaigns from GLP-1 drugmakers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk for Zepbound and Wegovy, respectively, are typical pharma DTC efforts showing active adults in lifestyle scenarios while a voiceover talks about the medical benefits and risks of the drugs. Zooming out: Stigma and shame are still problematic in weight loss drug prescribing.

Twenty-two percent of US adults find new direct-to-consumer brands through social media, per Radial. Geotargeting: Meta, Instagram鈥檚 parent company, already has a trove of geographic and preference data to sell advertisers, but Instagram map can enable timely, place-based content. Users can explore the map even if they have location tracking within the app turned off.

Counterfeiters have gone D2C. The rise of ecommerce鈥攁nd social commerce in particular鈥攈as made it easier than ever for makers of fake Birkins and Louis Vuitton Neverfulls to sell to shoppers directly, allowing them to reach larger audiences and bypass customs checks. Authenticity is no longer a requirement for shoppers.

Consumer demand is driving pharma companies to improve access to their GLP-1 products through D2C channels. Nearly one-quarter (23%) of people in 蘑菇AV鈥檚 December 2024 survey who have taken a GLP-1 said they covered the whole cost. Eli Lilly said on its Q1 earnings call that about 10% of its first-quarter Zepbound sales and 25% of new Zepbound prescriptions came through the self-pay channel.

But pharma brands are now embracing D2C medication sales, which means they can鈥檛 ignore the opportunity to connect with trusted influencers who hold sway over consumers鈥� healthcare decision-making鈥攁nd whose ads aren鈥檛 subject to the same FDA requirements as manufacturers.

Look to D2C healthcare and pharma companies as digital innovators. Consumer-focused brands are prioritizing a convenient online experience with an emphasis on price transparency (which is easier when insurance isn鈥檛 accepted). Some traditional healthcare and pharma players are responding with their own D2C offerings.

Novo can more effectively compete in the cash-pay weight loss drug market by raising awareness of its D2C Wegovy offering while considering a price reduction to better match what compounded sellers charge for personalized semaglutide.

Lilly and Novo offer the drugs on their D2C platforms at discounted cash-pay prices starting at $349. Novo partnered with GoodRx last week to extend its discounted $499 price to local pharmacies. Lilly and Novo manage telehealth partnerships with Ro, WeightWatchers, and LifeMD to sell their branded GLP-1s.

Offering a direct-to-consumer product could help Roku monetize beyond ads and platform licensing to gain a new revenue stream. Ad-free structure: At $2.99, Howdy is likely a volume play. It also offers an inexpensive alternative to rivals鈥擳ubi and Pluto don鈥檛 offer an ad-free option, and the next-cheapest ad-free streaming option is Apple at $9.99 per month.

Nike's recent struggles highlight the risks of an ill-timed shift to direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales. The sportswear giant's sales slumped 10% YoY for the quarter ending August 31 as competitors gained market share.

Disney鈥檚 new deal with the NFL鈥攖rading an equity stake in ESPN for rights to additional games, NFL Network, and RedZone鈥攃ame shortly before ESPN鈥檚 DTC service launched. Why it matters:. As scripted content loses real-time pull, live events like the NFL are unmatched in appointment viewing鈥攁nd advertiser interest.

Not everything was gloomy: Overall revenues grew 15% YoY to $2.1 billion, while direct-to-consumer subscription revenues increased 22% and global viewing hours grew 29% YoY across Paramount+ and Pluto TV. But growth didn鈥檛 extend to Paramount鈥檚 upfront results, which the company labeled as 鈥渃onsistent鈥� with last year鈥檚 upfronts.

Plus, the D2C market for weight loss drugs is already paying off. Lilly said on its Q1 earnings call that about 10% of its first-quarter Zepbound sales and 25% of new Zepbound prescriptions came through the self-pay channel.

Digital-first expansion: Dormify鈥檚 digital-native model supports Williams-Sonoma鈥檚 push to grow digital sales and deepen direct-to-consumer relationships. Customer lifetime value: Reaching consumers as they gain spending power gives Williams-Sonoma a longer runway to retain them, cross-sell across brands, and move them up the value chain as their lifestyles and needs evolve.

In 2025, it became a core part of media plans, especially for DTC, fintech, and SaaS brands trying to scale without sacrificing efficiency or privacy compliance. Podcasting isn鈥檛 a side bet anymore, it鈥檚 part of the performance mix.鈥�. Over half (56%) of US adults listen to podcasts at least once a month, according to an April survey from Attest, with 15% listening daily.

How we got here: BetterHelp advertises mainly on digital platforms, and is one of the largest spenders on podcast advertising, to drive its direct-to-consumer telemental health. It has partnered with mainstream celebrities and influencers like Ariana Grande, Venus Williams and Tom Brady in the past, and recently began women's college and professional athletes鈥� mental health promotions.

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands have attempted to break into D2C ecommerce in recent years, to varying degrees of success. How can they avoid unprofitable strategies and develop a viable D2C ecommerce channel?

D2C ecommerce will continue to grow at above-average rates. But that growth will be driven by established brands selling directly鈥攏ot digitally native brands.