Zimmer Biomet, one of the largest orthopaedic medtech companies in the world, has launched a campaign with Hollywood actor Arnold Schwarzenegger to provide an online community for patients with mobility issues.
Schwarzenegger joined Zimmer as chief movement officer in November 2024 to promote joint health to wide-ranging communities in the US. The new campaign, called “You’ll Be Back”, is a play on a catchphrase by the Austrian-born actor’s role in the Terminator film franchise.
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“’You’ll Be Back’ aims to bring together people who are struggling with their mobility and inspire change and action,” shared Schwarzenegger.
The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates nearly 27 million people in the country aged over 65 are impacted by osteoarthritis. The disease, which is the most common reason for needing joint replacement, occurs due to wearing of cartilage.
Joint replacement, a surgical procedure where an implant is used to fix an impacted joint, is usually recommended when pharmaceutical options do not work. By 2030, an estimated four million people in the US will need a joint replacement. Schwarzenegger himself required a hip replacement in 2002. Individuals with limited mobility due to hip, knee, shoulder or other joint pain, can share their stories as part of the joint campaign.
GlobalData analysis places Zimmer Biomet as one of the leading companies in the orthopaedics industry. The device company generated revenues of $7.7bn in 2024, up 3.8% from 2023.
Zimmer Biomet offers a range of orthopaedic implants and robotic technologies for joint replacement. Areas of the body within the portfolio include knee, hip, shoulder, and ankle indications, amongst others. The company’s knee replacement market share is especially high, accounting for 30.4% of the global market. The knee reconstruction market is forecast to be worth $12.7bn. Zimmer bolstered its foot and ankle offerings in January 2025 after acquiring Paragon 28 for $1.2bn.
Schwarzenegger is not the only celebrity to have close ties with a medtech company. Musician Nick Jonas, who has type 1 diabetes, joined forces with diabetes device developer Dexcom to launch a continuous glucose monitor in 2023. The singer was keen to “raise awareness around the magic” of the technology and helped produce a commercial that aired during the Super Bowl that year.
Actor Patrick Dempsey, famous for his role as a neurosurgeon in Grey’s Anatomy, is involved with medtech through the Dempsey Center – a nonprofit that provides free cancer care and support. The actor, whose mother battled ovarian cancer for 17 years, teamed up with Pfizer last year to highlight barriers affecting cancer care.
It’s not just partnerships, as endorsements have recently caused a stir as well. A company that has attracted celebrity hype is Prenuvo, a developer of full-body MRI scan technology. Socialite Kim Kardashian and singer Rita Ora have endorsed the product, both coming under criticism by fans, given the test’s price tag of $2,499. Buoyed by media buzz, however, Prenuvo went on to raise $120m in funding last year.
