COVER STORY  |  REVITALIZING BROADCAST ADVERTISING

The Super Bowl Showed What’s Still Possible. A Shrinking Ad Market Needs New Answers.

Trust, effectiveness, and ROI of broadcast advertisingas demonstrated by Big Pharma at Super Bowl LX —and a regulatory innovation proposal for Korea’s shrinking broadcast ad market

The broadcast ad market is shrinking — that much is undeniable. But Super Bowl LX showed the potential that broadcast advertising still holds. With 124.9 million viewers, Novo Nordisk invested $24 million to bring the GLP-1 obesity drug market to broadcast, and Zepbound recorded 519% effectiveness versus the average pharma ad. Legacy media advertising carries a ‘trust’ that digital cannot replace: TV ad trust stands at 46%, social media at just 19%.

슈퍼볼이 보여준 가능성, 축소되는 방송 광고, 활성화를 위한 새로운 답이 필요하다

“신뢰·브랜드 효과·ROI에서 TV가 디지털을 크게 앞서는 가운데(GLP‑1·슈퍼볼 사례), 미국은 ‘허용 속 스마트 규제’로 DTC를 키우는 반면 한국은 삼중 규제로 TV를 묶어 성장 기회를 놓치고 있어, 질병인식→CTV·FAST 한정→통합 DTC로 이어지는 3단계 완화 필요

K-EnterTech HubJung Han

The problem is Korea. The Pharmaceutical Affairs Act imposes a blanket ban on prescription drug broadcast advertising, keeping the door to this revenue opportunity completely shut. With Korea’s broadcast ad market collapsing below ₩3 trillion, it’s time for serious thinking about revitalization.

The Potential of TV Advertising, as Shown by the Super Bowl

124.9 Million Simultaneous Viewers: Strength That Persists Even in Decline

Super Bowl LX averaged 124.9 million viewers across NBC, Peacock, and Telemundo, with the second quarter reaching 137.8 million viewers — the highest peak viewership in U.S. TV history (Nielsen). No free streaming platform, OTT service, or social media channel can generate this scale of simultaneous concentrated viewership. Bad Bunny’s halftime show drew 128.2 million viewers, and Telemundo’s Spanish-language broadcast set an all-time Super Bowl record with 3.3 million viewers.

The overall broadcast ad market is clearly contracting. But the Super Bowl demonstrates the unique strengths that broadcast still possesses. Viewership of 123.7 million in 2024, 127.7 million in 2025, and 124.9 million in 2026 — three consecutive years with over 120 million people tuning into a single TV program simultaneously. Even amid decline, this kind of ‘mass simultaneous concentration’ is something only broadcast can deliver. The question is how to harness this potential for revitalization.

The Trust Advantage of Legacy Media: The Numbers Speak

The most powerful weapon of TV advertising is ‘trust.’ According to eMarketer, TV ad trust stands at 46% — 2.4x the 19% for social media. What’s remarkable is that even Gen Z — so-called ‘digital natives’ — recorded the same 46% TV ad trust as the general adult population. In fact, Gen Z distrusts social media ads more than any other generation.

Thinkbox’s 2024 research found that TV ads shown alongside professional content were rated 44% more trustworthy and 39% more entertaining than those in user-generated content environments. RTL AdAlliance’s 2025 European survey found that 66% of European consumers say ‘brands that first advertise on TV feel more trustworthy.’

※ Sources: eMarketer, Kantar, Thinkbox, tvScientific, Universal Ads, RTL AdAlliance TV Key Facts 2025

Marketing Sherpa found that 80% of consumers trust TV ads when making purchase decisions, and 65% say TV ads influence their purchases. Especially for product categories where trust is critical — like pharmaceuticals — the regulated environment and professional content adjacency of TV broadcast provide ‘Brand Safety’ that digital cannot match. It’s no coincidence that P&G’s Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard cut $200 million in digital ad spend and reinvested in TV.

GLP-1 Fever Conquers the Super Bowl

Super Bowl 2026 will be remembered as the year Big Pharma leveraged broadcast advertising’s value most aggressively. The reason pharmaceutical companies chose Super Bowl broadcast ads is clear: 100+ million simultaneous concentrated viewers, brand trust from premium content adjacency, and instant brand impact at a scale impossible on social media.

Novo Nordisk invested the highest pharma ad spend at $24 million (~₩33.6 billion) for a 90-second in-game Wegovy ad. Featuring Hollywood A-listers Kenan Thompson, DJ Khaled, Danielle Brooks, John C. Reilly, Danny Trejo, and Ana Gasteyer, it opened a new chapter in Super Bowl pharma advertising. Eli Lilly placed a 60-second Zepbound ad during NBC’s pregame and Peacock streaming.

Ro enlisted Serena Williams as its GLP-1 brand ambassador, while Hims & Hers featured Common’s narration delivering the provocative message “Rich People Live Longer.” Novartis (prostate cancer screening) and Boehringer Ingelheim (kidney health) ran ‘Disease Awareness’ campaigns without product names. This shows pharma companies diversifying their use of broadcast advertising’s trust — from branded DTC ads to unbranded awareness campaigns.

Effectiveness by the Numbers

According to Verve data, Novo Nordisk and Hims recorded web search volume surges of 11.4x and 4.7x respectively versus the prior month on game day.

U.S. DTC Advertising: Moving Toward ‘Smarter Regulation Within Permission’

Even as Super Bowl pharma ads exploded, regulatory pressure is growing. Five days before the Super Bowl, on February 5, Novo Nordisk received an FDA warning letter citing “false or misleading” claims in its Wegovy pill advertising. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., HHS Secretary, has signaled intent to end DTC advertising.

But crucially, this is not a ‘return to prohibition.’ The U.S. and New Zealand are the only two countries in the world that permit prescription drug DTC advertising. Since the 1997 FDA guidelines relaxation, DTC ad spending grew from $1.1 billion in 1997 to $4.2 billion by 2005, and now amounts to tens of billions annually. While the HHS/FDA issued thousands of warning letters in 2025, the core direction is a shift toward ‘smart regulation within permission.’ Pfizer’s Ramenli predicted that “brands will shift detailed information to CTV (Connected TV) or second screens.”

Korea’s Broadcast Ad Regulations: A Structure Holding Back Revitalization

While Big Pharma in the U.S. pours tens of millions of dollars into TV advertising leveraging its trust, Korea imposes a blanket ban on prescription drug broadcast advertising. The Pharmaceutical Affairs Act Article 68(6), Pharmaceutical Safety Rules Article 78, and the Broadcasting Act Article 2 form a triple lock, with all advertising subject to prior review by the Korea Pharmaceutical and Bio-Pharma Manufacturers Association.

Five Reasons to Rethink Regulation for Broadcast Ad Revitalization

① A Shrinking Broadcast Ad Market Urgently Needs New Revenue Streams

Korea’s broadcast ad market fell 10.8% in 2024 to ₩3.025 trillion. It is projected to drop below ₩3 trillion in 2025. Meanwhile, the online ad market crossed ₩10.648 trillion for the first time — a 3x gap. Terrestrial TV ad revenue alone is stuck below ₩1 trillion at ₩975.7 billion. Korea needs an ecosystem where pharmaceutical companies invest tens of millions in broadcast ads, just as they do at the Super Bowl.

② Regulatory Asymmetry: Broadcast Is Shackled While Online Runs Free

Broadcast advertising is subject to multiple regulations — the Broadcasting Act, Medical Service Act, National Health Promotion Act — plus both pre- and post-review. Online advertising, however, is not even subject to the Broadcasting Act. Ironically, TV — the most trusted medium — faces the heaviest regulation, while the least trusted channels operate with the lightest oversight.

③ Expanding Patient Access to Drug Information and Choice

A core function of DTC advertising is patient education and improved information access. Korea’s adult obesity rate stands at 38.4% (OECD #2). Most patients don’t even know innovative treatments like GLP-1 exist. Providing accurate pharmaceutical information in TV’s trusted environment is meaningful from a public health perspective. As Boehringer Ingelheim’s kidney health campaign at the Super Bowl demonstrated, broadcast advertising can start with Disease Awareness campaigns without product names.

④ K-Healthcare Industry Development and Global Competitiveness

Korea’s pharmaceutical and biotech industry is growing on the global stage, but domestic brand awareness remains limited. Just as K-Content has captivated the world, K-Healthcare needs to prepare for the global stage. Building consumer communication capabilities at home is essential for competing abroad.

⑤ Smart Regulation for the CTV & FAST Channel Era

The FAST market is projected to grow from $5.8 billion in 2025 to $10.6 billion by 2030. Combined with AI-based targeting, it’s possible to meet FDA-style ‘Fair Balance’ requirements while delivering effective ads. Instead of blanket prohibition, Korea could adopt a ‘Smart DTC’ model on CTV/FAST platforms with QR code integration and AI-powered personalized information delivery. This is a new model combining TV’s trust with digital’s precision.

U.S. vs. Korea: Pharmaceutical Ad Regulation Comparison

Proposal: A 3-Stage Korean Regulatory Reform Roadmap

Conclusion: Acknowledge the Decline, but Commit to Finding New Answers

The shrinking of the broadcast ad market is an undeniable reality. But Super Bowl LX demonstrated the unique strengths broadcast advertising still holds — trust (46%), brand recall uplift (39%), ROI ($7 per $1), and mass simultaneous concentration (124.9 million). Big Pharma leveraged these strengths to pour tens of millions into the Super Bowl, achieving results like Zepbound’s 519% and Wegovy’s Top 10 engagement. The decline of broadcast advertising is not inevitable fate but a problem of environment, and it demands proactive thinking about revitalization.

The argument that Korea should maintain its ‘ban’ because the U.S. is ‘tightening’ DTC regulation does not hold. The U.S. debate is about ‘smarter regulation within permission,’ not ‘a return to prohibition.’

A broadcast ad market collapsing below ₩3 trillion, a 3x gap with online, and regulatory asymmetry — these three challenges are unfolding simultaneously. Reforming prescription drug ad regulation for broadcast ad revitalization is a realistic starting point that can simultaneously advance patient information access, diversify broadcast industry revenue, and strengthen K-Healthcare’s global competitiveness.

If the Super Bowl showed what’s still possible for broadcast advertising, Korea now needs to start thinking seriously about how to make it happen.