Hims & Hers: Big Pharma’s Millennial Makeover (With a Side of Hypocrisy)
Did You watch the Super Bowl by Hims & Hers. I loved the hypocrisy there.
Imagine a company that slams Big Pharma in a Super Bowl ad while quietly selling you the same generic drugs at double the price. Meet Hims & Hers: the wellness startup that’s mastered the art of looking like your chill, avocado-toast-loving telehealth BFF… while acting a whole lot like the pharmaceutical giants it loves to hate.
Something to Notice. Hims & Hers stock sees another spike in trading days after Super Bowl ad
If you want to see Good Morning America’s YouTube video Hims & Hers’ Super Bowl ad sparks backlash, watch below.
“Big Pharma Bad, Us Good!” (Except When We’re Not)
Hims & Hers wants you to think it’s the Robin Hood of healthcare. Their website? All soft pastels and millennial buzzwords (“empowerment!” “accessible!”). Their vibe? We’re not your dad’s pharma bros. But peel back the Instagrammable packaging, and you’ll find a business model that’s less “revolution” and more “repackaged generics at markup.”
Case in point: Their star products (think hair loss pills, antidepressants, ED meds) are just cheap generic drugs you could grab at CVS for less. But slap on a telehealth consult and discreet shipping, and suddenly that 4/month sertraline becomes 30. Convenience fee? Or Big Pharma Lite?
The Super Bowl Smokescreen
Let’s talk about that cringey Super Bowl ad. While Pfizer and Merck sipped champagne in their skyboxes, Hims & Hers spent millions to dunk on them with a commercial screaming, “Big Pharma profits off your insecurities!” Cue the irony siren.
The ad hawked weight loss drugs (hello, Ozempic vibes) with all the subtlety of a late-night infomercial. Critics called it out for peddling quick fixes and exploiting stigma—a page straight from the Big Pharma playbook they claim to burn.
“But Generics Are Cheap, Right?” (Spoiler: Not Here)
Here’s the kicker: Hims & Hers doesn’t even make drugs. They’re middlemen. They buy generics (post-patent, zero R&D costs) from the same factories supplying your local pharmacy, then upsell them as “wellness solutions.” It’s like buying a Costco muffin and reselling it at Starbucks prices because you put it in a prettier bag.
Example time:
- Generic finasteride (hair loss): $10/month at GoodRx.
- Hims’ version: 30/month. ∗But wait!∗ For that extra 20/month you get… a website that doesn’t judge your receding hairline.
The Convenience Conundrum
To be fair, Hims & Hers isn’t all smoke and mirrors. They’ve tapped into real pain points: stigma, awkward doctor visits, and a broken healthcare system. Need Viagra but don’t want to make eye contact with a pharmacist? They’ve got you.
But let’s not confuse “convenience” with “value.” Paying extra for discreet delivery? Understandable. Paying a 300% markup for drugs that exist elsewhere? That’s not healthcare disruption—it’s capitalism in a Patagonia vest.
Big Pharma’s Greatest Trick? Becoming the “Underdog”
The real magic trick here? Hims & Hers has convinced millennials they’re sticking it to corporate greed while quietly mimicking Big Pharma’s profit playbook. They sidestep R&D costs (unlike actual pharma companies), avoid PBM price wars, and bank on your fear of awkward conversations.
Meanwhile, their “transparent pricing” ignores one glaring fact: They control the entire supply chain. No insurance haggling, no pharmacy middlemen—just you, your credit card, and their markup.
The Takeaway: Don’t Drink the Kool-Aid (Even If It’s Organic)
Hims & Hers isn’t evil—it’s just business. But next time you see their ad between TikTok thirst traps, ask yourself:
- Am I paying for medicine… or marketing?
- Could I get this cheaper with a 5-minute GoodRx search?
- Is “discreet shipping” worth funding a company that bashes Big Pharma… while cashing its same checks?
In the end, Hims & Hers isn’t your wellness savior. It’s proof that even “disruptors” can wear a lab coat and charge you 40 for a 5 pill. Buyer beware.
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