As Medtronic begins rolling out a recently FDA-cleared diabetes management system combining its MiniMed 780G insulin pump and Abbott’s Instinct glucose sensor, the medtech giant has launched a new campaign to promote the duo.
The “Own It” push highlights how the combined system works in the background to automatically help regulate blood sugar levels. According to the campaign’s messaging, that can reduce unpredictability and stress for people with Type 1 diabetes and so give them “more freedom, more spontaneity, and more confidence to live the way you want.”
At the core of the campaign is a 30-second spot showing a man stepping up to a counter to order a few slices of pizza, only to be interrupted by several other versions of himself casting doubt on how the food choice might impact his blood sugar.
“You know pizza can keep your levels high for hours, right?” one clone, working behind the counter, asks, while another heading out on a pizza delivery adds, “Bro, you’ll be guessing all night.”
The chatter reaches a crescendo, only to quiet as the camera zooms in on the MiniMed pump on the man’s waistband. He shakes off the distractions and, with a smile, proceeds to order his pizza as a voiceover recites, “Quiet the ‘what ifs’ and own your every move.”
In a statement sent to Fierce Pharma Marketing, Kate Cronin, who joined Medtronic Diabetes earlier this year as chief marketing officer, called the campaign “a bold statement about what’s possible for people living with Type 1 diabetes.”
“Managing diabetes often means navigating countless decisions and uncertainties every single day,” Cronin continued. “Own It reflects our commitment to advancing innovation that empowers people to live life on their own terms.”
Medtronic initially secured FDA clearance for the MiniMed 780G pump for people with Type 1 diabetes in early 2023. This past September, it tacked on additional green lights, clearing the device for use in people with Type 2 diabetes and alongside Abbott’s Instinct sensor in the Type 1 population.
The combined system, which began its U.S. commercial rollout at the start of this month, works with Medtronic’s SmartGuard algorithm to automatically adjust insulin dosages based on glucose readings every five minutes, including corrections for missed or inaccurately calculated mealtime doses.
The system is among the products slated to leave the Medtronic nest in the next year or so as part of a planned spinoff of the diabetes division. The separation, announced this past summer, is expected to be completed by the end of 2026 and will result in a standalone company called MiniMed with revenues close to $3 billion.