The Super Bowl is known for having some epic commercials, but Serena Williams’ ad has come with some controversy. The tennis legend appeared in a Super Bowl spot promoting a GLP-1 weight loss drug through telehealth company Ro, crediting the medication for a dramatic body transformation that followed her retirement from professional tennis.
When the commercial aired during the first half of the game, people instantly took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their discontent. “I’m on Ro,” she declares, “34 pounds down.”
She’s shown injecting herself with the drug and placing an order through Ro’s app, while also teasing a new pill-form version. While she framed it as a broader health decision, saying she is “healthier on Ro,” with on-screen text about how it helped reduce knee joint stress and stabilize her blood sugar, many weren’t convinced.
For some, seeing one of the most dominant athletes of all time promote weight loss drugs felt jarring, especially given her long-standing role as a symbol of strength, power, and body confidence.
© TGL via Getty ImagesThe criticism intensified because of her connection to the brand. Williams became a sponsor last year, and her husband, Alexis Ohanian, sits on Ro’s board.
Some of the reactions included, “Serena Williams can be doing so much to champion women’s sports or the importance of body positivity, but instead is pushing a weight loss drug in her retirement.”
“This is so f***ing ridiculous and backwards serena williams is a retired tennis legend her body has won her so many awards and titles why the f**k is she promoting glp-1,” and “Why is a world class athlete like Serena Williams promoting GLP-1s?? She worked out her whole life and now promoting unnatural pills?? With the little dance and all that” are among some of the other tweets.
© AFP via Getty ImagesAt the same time, not all reactions were negative. While critics accused the ad of undermining body positivity, others thanked Williams for being transparent and said her openness helped them feel less alone in their own GLP-1 journeys.
“So happy to hear about ALL of the health benefits! So happy you are healthier, feeling better, AND have the amazing support,” someone commented on her Instagram post. “Thank you, Serena, for your boldness. You helped me so much through your journey, now I am well on my GLP1 journey. Thanks again,” another person added.
What Serena has said in the past
© Getty Images for The Met Museum/The tennis legend has been very open about her use of GLP-1s, which cannot be said about a lot of other celebrities. Of course, becoming a face of it does add another layer.
She had previously told PEOPLE she’s struggled with weight gain after welcoming her daughter Alexis Olympia in 2017. “I was never able to get to the weight I needed to be, no matter what I did, no matter how much I trained. It was crazy because I’d never been in a place like that in my life where I worked so hard, ate so healthy, and could never get down to where I needed to be,” she said.
© The Grosby GroupWilliams faced the same struggle after the birth of her second daughter, Adira River. “I had never taken shortcuts in my career and always worked really hard. I know what it takes to be the best. So it was very frustrating to do all the same things and never be able to change that number on the scale or the way my body looked,” she continued.
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