Transforming Health Brands for the Modern Consumer

In this episode of Adspeak by ADWEEK, chief brand and community officer Jenny Rooney speaks with Jason White, board member at Caldera Arts; Lina Polimeni, SVP and CMO at Eli Lilly and Company; and lifestyle content creator Nita Danielle about how health brands can earn trust in a skeptical, consumer-driven world. 

The conversation explores why pharmaceutical marketing must move beyond clinical messaging toward authentic storytelling, cultural relevance, and human-centered brand building. 

The guests discuss how AI can support personalization and operational efficiency without sacrificing authenticity, and why brands should participate in unexpected cultural spaces like sports, fashion, and entertainment to make health conversations feel more natural. They also examine the growing role of creators in destigmatizing wellness topics through honest, relatable storytelling. 

Packed with insights on positioning, personalization, and purpose-driven branding, this episode offers a modern blueprint for building health brands that consumers genuinely connect with. 

What you’ll learn:

• How to position your health brand beyond category limitations
• Why AI should enhance authenticity, not replace it 
• The “Unexpected but Necessary” cultural placement strategy
• How to use creators and influencers to destigmatize health conversations
• The first-party data and personalization framework for pharma 
• How 21 years of brand consistency reveals sustainable competitive advantage

About the guests:

Lina Polimeni is the SVP and Chief Marketing Officer for Eli Lilly Consumer Division, bringing over 21 years of expertise in pharmaceutical marketing and brand transformation. With a background spanning from sales to digital marketing innovation, she has pioneered patient-centric strategies that reposition Lilly as a medicine company focused on human wellness rather than product transactions.

Jason White is a Board Member at Caldera Arts, and he specializes in transformative brand strategy and creative campaigns that spark cultural conversations. Jason has also served as the President at Wieden + Kennedy. With a career built on redefining consumer relationships, from his early work on Pepsi to acclaimed campaigns like “Thank You Mom” for P&G, he brings a consumer-centric lens to the pharmaceutical industry.

Nita Danielle is a full-time content creator and influencer focused on style, fashion, confidence, motherhood, and health and wellness storytelling. With a dedicated audience that values her authentic, non-linear approach to personal journeys, she brings creator credibility to healthcare brand partnerships.