Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly and Co. made a big marketing push for the Summer Olympics, including buying airtime to feature gymnast Simone Biles and her mother in ads for diabetes treatment Mounjaro.
They’ll always have Paris. But the relationship didn’t end there.
On Thursday, Biles and Olympic sprinter Gabby Thomas surprised thousands of Lilly workers as featured speakers at a company-only event and discussed their successes through teamwork and dedication. Their appearance at Lilly’s downtown campus included a questions-and-answers session with employees.
Lilly is a sponsor of Team USA and has relationships with several American Olympic athletes to promote specific products and initiatives. Thomas has been featured in Lilly commercials focusing on eliminating health inequities.
Biles and her mother, Nellie, star in ads for Mounjaro, although Simone Biles doesn’t have diabetes or take the medicine for other uses. Nellie Biles is a diabetic but doesn’t take the drug.
On Wednesday evening, Biles and Thomas attended an Indiana Fever game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and posed for photos with the team after the Fever’s 84-80 victory over the Connecticut Sun.
Please enable JavaScript to view this content.