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One in eight U.S. adults has now tried a GLP-1 drug like Ozempic, Wegovy, or Mounjaro, per KFF data. While some food manufacturers are worried about the impact Americans’ shrinking appetites might have on sales, Danone believes the boom presents an opportunity for some of its 146 brands.
The CPG giant’s chief marketing officer (CMO) for North America, Linda Bethea, told ADWEEK the Activia and Silk owner is tailoring its marketing to reflect shifting appetites as a result of the growing weight-loss drug market.
And it’s already seeing results, including sales boosts for its Oikos and Light & Fit brands.
Bethea said GLP-1s, which mimic a hormone that helps regulate blood sugar and appetite and slow digestion, were “upending the industry,” pointing to users’ need to pack in their essential nutrients in smaller portions.
“If you look at a lot of other food and beverage companies, this could be very much a disrupter for them. For us, I think it’s an opportunity,” she said.
The U.S. spent around $40 billion on GLP-1 injections in 2024, according to Grand View Research. By 2030, that figure is projected to triple, and it could soar even more thanks to a daily pill alternative being tested by U.S. pharma giant and Zepbound and Mounjaro owner Eli Lilly.
Over the last 12 months, Danone has been tracking consumer and social sentiment around GLP-1s. During its listening sessions, the company’s insights team observed more openness and curiosity about these medications than in 2024.
“A year ago, this was taboo—now consumers are talking, asking, and sharing,” said Bethea, adding that Danone’s brands had a role to play in helping its customers navigate something that’s “still pretty new for most people.”
From taboo to tablestakes
Since the post-COVID health and wellness boom, Danone has upped the ante on messaging around issues including gut health, nutrition research, and convenient, protein-heavy snacks. It also recently secured the first qualified health U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) claim around regular yogurt consumption and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.
In line with the cultural shift toward weight management medication, the French-headquartered CPG has been “supporting” customers on their GLP-1 journey with content highlighting its range of high-protein, nutrient-dense products, catered to those who are eating less, but better, Bethea said.
Low-sugar, high-protein yogurt Oikos is a GLP-1 marketing success story. Retail sales for the brand were up 40% in 2024, per to Circana data provided by Danone. The group’s total sales for the year were up 4.3% to $36.5 billion (€27.376 billion).
During Super Bowl 59, Danone ran a digital-first campaign supported by regional ads for Oikos Pro, fronted by Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett and Ted Lasso actress Juno Temple.
Behind the scenes, it ran real-time social listening to track sentiment and found discussions around GLP-1s rose 50% during the Big Game, and that 21% of overall conversations were around nutrition, including reaching protein goals and reducing sugar cravings.
The Monday after Super Bowl, Danone hosted a live Q&A on its North America Instagram channel with registered dietitians, offering advice for GLP-1 users and people interested in weight management drugs.
It also recently launched a content hub on its North America website, where GLP-1 users can learn more about how to eat nutritionally while using the drugs. People can then view the products in Danone’s portfolio that can help them meet those needs, and use a recipe tool to create meals based on those suggestions.
Meeting GLP-1 users where they are
This multi-channel strategy is emblematic of how Danone wants to target GLP-1 users. It’s meeting them where they are, whether that’s on TikTok, at the doctor’s office, or at the pharmacy counter.
“We’re thinking through that entire consumer journey and delivering the right message at the right time,” Bethea said.
Creators are also a big part of Danone’s GLP-1 strategy, and it’s also balancing credible voices with “culturally relevant” ones to scale its reach, explained Bethea. Danone’s TikTok strategy exemplifies this, as it works with both registered dietitians who can deliver “science-backed information” and influencers who are GLP-1 users themselves.
On Pinterest, it has been running shoppable ads for Oikos. The content emphasizes the yogurt’s overall nutrient density, and tests have shown that this language resonates more with GLP-1 users than protein messaging alone.
It’s now exploring which of its other brands can help it reach GLP-1 audiences: “We have several products in our existing portfolio across yogurt [and] hydration that can meet the nutrition needs of GLP-1 users,” said Bethea.
As the space is “evolving fast,” she said the company is planning to launch new products targeting GLP-1 users as soon as Q4 2025.
Other CPG brands have been following Danone in jumping on the GLP-1 hype. Nestlé, for instance, launched a content platform in June to “respond to consumer needs for nutritional solutions while on weight loss journeys.”
With GLP-1s set to upend everything from snacking habits to clothes sizing, Bethea had some advice for other marketers bracing for the disruption.
“Start with the consumer trends, the consumer needs, the concerns they may have as they explore going on GLP-1 drugs, and leverage those learnings to craft the right products and the right messaging to meet those needs,” she said.
