Advil is primarily a brand of ibuprofen (a pain reliever in the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug category). Advil has been called a "megabrand" because it offers various "products for a wide range of pain, head cold, and sleep problems."

History

The brand first entered the American market in 1984 through Whitehall (itself a division of Wyeth, which was purchased by Pfizer in 2009), the same year ibuprofen gained Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for over-the-counter (OTC) sales in the United States (being available via prescription since 1974). Within ten years of having a market presence, it outsold Bayer Aspirin and was a fierce competitor to Tylenol (primarily a brand of acetaminophen). In the mid-1990s, for example, it held 13% of the multibillion-dollar over-the-counter American market for analgesics.

Varieties

In 2023, there were 23 varieties of Advil available on the U.S. market including:

Marketing

Marketing campaigns for the brand (some including celebrities like Regis Philbin) have pushed slogans such as "Take Action. Take Advil." and have been presented under the premise of "True Advil Stories"; the brand has also been involved in sponsorship deals such as with Major League Pickleball.