Pharma TV Ad Spend Up in Q3 2025 with Record-Breaking October

Television ad spending in the pharmaceutical sector continues its surge to record levels this year, underscoring pharma’s sustained commitment to direct-to-consumer (DTC) marketing even amid evolving regulatory and digital-first trends.

According to iSpot.tv and as reported by EMarketer, total US national linear TV ad spend for the pharma sector in Q3 (prescription drugs only) was approximately $1.25 billion.

Among the top 10 pharma TV ad spenders, the combined spend was about $544.8 million, which nonetheless represents a ~19% drop from Q2’s ~$675.1 million.

The drop in the top 10 combined number (~$544.8 million) versus total spend (~$1.25 billion) suggests many brands beyond the very top are still active, but perhaps scaling back or shifting channels.

Prescription drug brands accounted for 13.1% of all national linear TV ad spending, up from ~11.6% in the same quarter last year.

Even while overall impressions and airings dipped slightly (impressions down ~2.7 %), ad minutes increased ~2.4% and spend rose, indicating more premium placements or higher-cost spots.

Much of the Q3 activity is tied to high-value live programming (sports, news), such as football games, which drives cost and reach.

A Record-Breaking October

Heading into Q4, pharmaceutical ad spending surged to new highs in October.

October marked a record-breaking month for pharma advertising, as brands ramped up spending ahead of year-end launches and competitive market pushes.

According to data from iSpot.TV reported by Fierce Pharma, the combined outlay for the top 10 pharma brands in October reached $307.1 million, the highest monthly total ever and well above the previous record of $302.5 million set in January.

At the top of October’s record spend was Johnson & Johnson’s Tremfya (guselkumab) with an estimated $62.7 million in TV ad spending across 11 TV ads, nearly double its September investment. It was the highest monthly spend by any single brand in 2025.

To kick off November, Tremfya ranked seventh among the top 10 TV ad spenders across all categories, beating out the likes of Amazon and Target. In the first week of the month alone, Johnson & Johnson spent about $6.26 million, led by its “Relentless Weed” TV spot.

Other notable jumps included AbbVie’s Skyrizi (risankizumab), which moved into the $46 million range, while Intra-Cellular tripled its spending for Caplyta to ~$39.5 million.

Many of the brands timed their campaigns for NFL game spots, maximizing reach during high-viewership programs. According to iSpot.tv, eight of the top 10 drug brands identified NFL games as their leading TV placements by spend.

In Q3, pharma’s TV dollars were heavily concentrated in a handful of high-value disease areas.

Immunology led the way, with Skyrizi, Tremfya, Rinvoq (upadacitinib), Dupixent (dupilumab) and Bimzelx (bimekizumab-bkzx) together accounting for the majority of top-10 spending, as companies doubled down on psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, atopic dermatitis, inflammatory bowel disease and related chronic inflammatory conditions.

Close behind was the obesity and broader cardio-metabolic category, where Wegovy (semaglutide), Ozempic (semaglutide) and Jardiance (empagliflozin) maintained a strong TV presence to reinforce leadership in weight management, type 2 diabetes and heart and kidney protection.

CNS and mental health also featured prominently through Rexulti’s (brexpiprazole) sustained investment, underscoring ongoing competition in depression and schizophrenia, while Merck’s Capvaxive (pneumococcal 21-valent conjugate vaccine) spend highlighted how vaccines and respiratory prevention are now being marketed with the same prime-time intensity as chronic disease brands.

And there seems to be no slowing down heading into Q4, despite the Trump administration’s plans to tighten oversight of DTC TV drug ads. The administration also issued at least 40 warning letters to pharmaceutical companies over allegedly false or misleading claims.

Top 10 Pharma TV Ad Spenders: Q3 2025 and October Spend

Combined Q3 spend for these top 10 brands totaled approximately $544.8 million, according to iSpot data reported by FiercePharma and eMarketer.

1. Skyrizi (AbbVie)

Estimated Q3 spend: $104.6 million

Therapeutic area: Immunology (psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)

2. Tremfya (Johnson & Johnson)

Estimated spend: $78.2 million

Therapeutic area: Immunology (psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease)

3. Rinvoq (AbbVie)

Estimated spend: $74.5 million

Therapeutic area: Immunology (rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, eczema, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease)

4. Wegovy (Novo Nordisk)

Estimated spend: $66.1 million

Therapeutic area: Obesity and cardiometabolic health

5. Rexulti (Lundbeck/Otsuka)

Estimated spend: $51.3 million

Therapeutic area: Central nervous system (major depressive disorder, schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s-related agitation)

6. Dupixent (Sanofi/Regeneron)

Estimated spend: $40.9 million

Therapeutic area: Immunology (atopic dermatitis, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)

7. Jardiance (Eli Lilly/Boehringer Ingelheim)

Estimated spend: $40.5 million

Therapeutic area: Diabetes, heart failure and chronic kidney disease

8. Bimzelx (UCB)

Estimated spend: $30.8 million

Therapeutic area: Immunology (psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, hidradenitis suppurativa)

9. Ozempic (Novo Nordisk)

Estimated spend: $29.7 million

Therapeutic area: Type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic health

10. Capvaxive (Merck)

Estimated spend: $28.2 million

Therapeutic area: Vaccines (adult pneumococcal disease and respiratory prevention)