The Super Bowl is typically a time of gluttony that includes chicken wings on the table, and beer, soda and chip brands advertising in the game. But this year’s slate of advertisers includes a healthy dose of wellness brands that are primed to send viewers a different message.

Planet Fitness announced this week that it will be advertising in the game for the first time. The gym’s 30-second commercial, which debuted today, shows Lindsay Lohan living her best life thanks to regular excercise. Hologic, a women’s health brand, is also making its Big Game debut with a spot starring Mary J. Blige that focuses on the importance of women’s well visits and annual screenings. Even some of the the beer messaging is healthy—Anheuser-Busch InBev is running a spot for its zero carb brand Bud Lite Next.

The health and wellness category is expected to have a bigger presence in the game this year and is one of the biggest surprises, said Mark Marshall, president, advertising and client partnerships, NBCUniversal, which will air the game on Feb. 13. 

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Going mainstream

“It’s the latest sign of wellness being mainstream these days and the growth of the category,” said Jody Rones, senior VP, brand partnerships at Leaf Group, which publishes fitness-focused Well + Good. “It’s no longer reserved for specific audiences and in the month of January—now it’s an all-year-round main passion point for a large group of Americans.” He noted that with the wellness industry booming, it’s not a surprise that some health brands are able to afford the nearly $7 million pricetag associated with a 30-second Super Bowl commercial. Well + Good has seen an uptick of non-health care brands advertising on its site as well, hoping to capture a piece of the growing wellness audience.

The moves come at a time when consumers appear to be more health-minded than ever, due to two years of a pandemic that saw the evolution and success of many wellness brands. Two in three, or 58%, of U.S. adults, say they would pay more for a product that is health-focused, compared to one that is not, according to a recent Ad Age-Harris Poll. Younger consumers especially are more receptive to health products, with 74% of Gen Zers and 66% of millennials reporting they would pay more for wellness goods, the poll found.

Health advertisers are not completely new to the Super Bowl—last year, Dexcom, which monitors diabetes, aired a spot with Nick Jonas—but the category is blossoming into a Super Bowl mainstay that could become as big as other industries like fintech, for example.

In its spot, Hologic, which makes products for early disease detection, will show how, despite her busy schedule, Blige still prioritizes her health by going to well visits and getting regular screenings and checkups. Hologic also tapped a female-led team to reinforce its message with a female director, Black-owned and women-led creative agency and women-owned production company creating the work. During the pandemic, well visits took a backseat to more pressing health care needs.

“We have to become a healthier population period and part of that is looking at preventative health through simple checkups,” said Ari Lightman, professor of digital media and marketing at Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University, noting the importance of large-scale awareness. He noted that with so many viewers watching the game, “the odds are that somebody will see it and say, ‘That’s right, I need to set up a gym membership’ or ‘I need to get a checkup to work on my health.’”

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Fitness clubs' marketing muscle

Such awareness is critical for health clubs, which despite a return to in-person workouts by many consumers, are still struggling, according to recent data from the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, a trade association. From March 2020 through June 2021, the fitness industry lost $29.2 billion in revenue, and as of Jan. 1, 25% of all health and fitness facilities have closed, a report released last month by the IHRSA found. The association is pointing its members to the power of marketing, and recently published guides around marketing best practices and strategies for gyms and studios.

“Marketing is an essential tool for the fitness industry, it's the key driver of new members and guests and a crucial part of the member retention strategy,” an IHRSA spokeswoman wrote via email.

When the coronavirus first emerged, all brick-and-mortar gyms took a beating, as consumers invested in home fitness products like a Peloton bike or Hydrow rowing machine. Some, like Planet Fitness, began ramping up their digital offerings with things like virtual workouts. Staying true to its brand, Planet Fitness continued to use humor in its marketing throughout the coronavirus, branding itself as a safe and judgement-free zone, unlike many leaderboard-focused competitors.

The new Super Bowl work, which continues the New Hampshire-based gym’s recent “Feel Fitacular” campaign, its first from its agency of record, a bespoke unit within Publicis, continues in that vein with an entertaining look at Lohan’s self-improvement. Called “What’s gotten into Lindsay?” the commercial also features spokesman William Shatner and a cameo by Danny Trejo. In its most recent quarterly earnings, Planet Fitness reported a year-over-year revenue increase of 46% to $154.3 million.

Of course, not all viewers, absorbed by their guacamole and chips, queso dip and pigs in blankets, might be receptive to health-focused advertisements. Yet experts say enjoying extra pizza while watching the Super Bowl does not mean wellness isn’t a focus.

“Modern-day wellness is something that needs to be part of everything,” said Rones. “People want to be able to do both things—it can’t be that ‘I’m not a well-minded person because I’m going to enjoy myself at the Super Bowl,’—that has to be intertwined in your overall wellness picture.”

Contributing: Jeanine Poggi

Register for Ad Age Next: Health & Wellness at AdAge.com/NextWellness.