Johnson & Johnson’s Tremfya Dominates January TV Ad Spending
Despite ongoing predictions of a sharp decline in traditional TV advertising by pharmaceutical companies, Johnson & Johnson (J&J) is bucking the trend in a major way. The company’s immunology drug, Tremfya, kicked off 2026 with a record-setting TV ad campaign, spending an estimated $78.2 million in January alone. This marks a nearly 40% increase from December, according to data from iSpot shared with Fierce Pharma Marketing.
The massive investment not only made Tremfya the top TV ad spender for the month but also set a new two-year high for monthly spending by any pharmaceutical brand. The previous high was also held by Tremfya, which spent nearly $63 million in October 2025.
Other Top Spenders Include AbbVie and Eli Lilly
Closely following Tremfya were two of AbbVie’s immunology blockbusters: Rinvoq and Skyrizi. Rinvoq surged up two spots to second place with a spend of $51.7 million, marking a significant jump from December’s $35.4 million. Skyrizi, although dropping one spot to third, still increased its budget to $44.9 million.
In fourth place, Eli Lilly’s Zepbound saw a slight dip, spending $34 million compared to $37 million in December. Rounding out the top five was Caplyta, another J&J product, which climbed one spot to spend $26.4 million.
January Sees Record-Breaking Combined Spending
The top 10 pharmaceutical brands collectively spent $323.8 million on TV advertising in January, surpassing the previous record of $307.1 million set in October 2025. This trend suggests that the industry might follow a familiar seasonal pattern: a strong start to the year, a dip in the spring and summer, followed by another surge in the final quarter.
Spending data for the top 10 brands shows a clear emphasis on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising, with most brands targeting conditions like psoriasis, eczema, arthritis, and depression through emotionally driven and high-production commercials.
New Entrants and Movers in the Rankings
Several brands that were not in December’s top 10 made notable appearances in January. Vraylar (AbbVie), Cobenfy (Bristol Myers Squibb), and Jardiance (Eli Lilly and Boehringer Ingelheim) each spent around $16 million, tying for eighth, ninth, and tenth places respectively.
Other significant movers included Rexulti (Lundbeck and Otsuka), which jumped four spots by increasing its spend to $22.6 million. Meanwhile, Dupixent (Sanofi and Regeneron), despite being a consistent top spender, fell two spots to seventh place with spending declining by about a third to $17.4 million.
Ad Content and Target Audience
Tremfya’s eight commercials in January covered various indications including psoriasis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and psoriatic arthritis. Its most expensive ad, “Relentless Weed,” cost an estimated $22 million.
Rinvoq aired six spots, with “Checklist” being the most costly at $22.8 million. Skyrizi’s top ad, “In the Picture: Control Is Everything,” had an estimated spend of $24.9 million.
Interestingly, most of the top advertisers focused their budgets on NFL programming, likely capitalizing on the lead-up to February’s Super Bowl. The exceptions were Rexulti, which favored the third hour of “Good Morning America,” and Vraylar, which invested in “House Hunters.”
Forecast: Traditional Advertising Still Holds Power
Although digital advertising continues to gain traction, the January numbers highlight that traditional TV still commands significant investment from big pharma. Whether this trend will persist throughout 2026 remains to be seen, especially with growing pressure to shift toward more targeted digital platforms.
Nonetheless, as Tremfya’s campaign demonstrates, the right combination of high-quality content and strategic placement can still yield massive visibility and engagement through traditional channels.
This article is inspired by content from Original Source. It has been rephrased for originality. Images are credited to the original source.