In a bold move that placed the national conversation about weight-loss medications squarely within America’s biggest televised event, tennis legend Serena Williams revealed her personal health transformation in a Super Bowl commercial for the telehealth company Ro.
The advertisement, which aired during Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026, detailed her 34-pound weight loss over the past year while using a GLP-1 medication, marking a significant and controversial moment in both advertising and public health discourse.
Williams shared specific health improvements beyond the scale, noting reduced stress on her knees, steadier blood sugar, and a substantial 30% reduction in cholesterol.
These changes, according to the company, have improved her lifetime risk of heart disease and resulted in health markers that are better now than at the end of her professional tennis career.
“I feel better now than I have in years,” said Serena Williams. “For me, this journey has been about feeling strong, energized, and healthy in my body; I feel like myself again. Being on Ro helped me focus on my health in a way that actually worked for me”.
The star athlete explained that her journey began after welcoming her second daughter in 2023, describing a frustrating period where her renowned discipline was not enough to manage postpartum weight.
“I never was able to get to the weight I needed to be no matter what I did, no matter how much I trained,” she said in a prior interview. “It was crazy because I’d never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy and could never get down to where I needed to be at”.
Ro CEO Zach Reitano emphasized this point, stating, “There is no one with more willpower and self-discipline than Serena Williams, which is why she’s the perfect person to help people see that GLP-1s are not a shortcut”.
The commercial also served to launch Ro’s new “Healthier on Ro” national campaign and highlighted the introduction of a new pill version of GLP-1 treatment, expanding access beyond injectable options.
The campaign features other ambassadors, including former NBA star Charles Barkley, and aims to showcase the benefits of GLP-1 medications for weight management and associated health improvements. This high-profile endorsement comes as the cost for such medications has decreased, making them more accessible.
However, the advertisement was not without controversy. Some viewers expressed criticism on social media, labeling the promotion of a prescription weight-loss drug as irresponsible, with one fan reaction post calling it “disgusting” and accusing Williams of “promoting a DRUG to lose weight”.
The partnership also carries a notable personal connection; Williams’ husband, Alexis Ohanian, is an investor in Ro and serves on its board of directors.
The appearance continues Williams’ history of impactful Super Bowl endorsements, having previously starred in ads for MINI in 2016 and the fitness company Tonal in 2022, each time aligning herself with messages of defying stereotypes and embracing strength.
Her latest venture, however, ventures into more personal and medically oriented territory.
By leveraging the unparalleled reach of the Super Bowl, where 30-second ad slots this year averaged an astonishing $8 million, Ro and Williams have ensured that the conversation around GLP-1 medications will remain at the forefront of cultural and health discussions for the foreseeable future.