In a crowded skincare market saturated with celebrity endorsements, CeraVe needed to disrupt the status quo and reclaim its dermatologist-developed heritage. The "Michael CeraVe" campaign was born from a simple, yet brilliant insight: what if Michael Cera, known for his youthful looks and coincidentally shared name, had actually created CeraVe? So, we spread the lie that Michael Cera, with his youthful skin and a shared name with the brand, created CeraVe, only to later reveal the truth that it was developed with dermatologists. This playful "conspiracy" became the engine of a multi-pronged campaign designed to generate buzz and intrigue.
Our goals were ambitious:
Solidify CeraVe as the dermatologist-developed brand: Counter competitor claims and misinformation by reinforcing CeraVe's authentic heritage.
Expand audience reach: Grow beyond CeraVe's niche TikTok following to encompass a broader demographic, including Gen Z and men.
Elevate CeraVe to cultural icon status: Transform CeraVe from a drugstore staple into a talked-about brand deeply embedded in popular culture.
Specific KPIS included achieving 1 billion earned impressions, securing coverage in 50 articles, driving 74K website visits, increasing audience growth by 3%, and landing a spot in the Top 10 share of voice during the Super Bowl.
The "Michael CeraVe" campaign unfolded as a meticulously planned four-week narrative leading up to the Super Bowl, structured in three distinct phases. Phase one focused on igniting the "conspiracy" with a strategic blend of influencer marketing, "leaked" content, and guerilla tactics. Instead of traditional influencer endorsements, we partnered with @HayleeBaylee to release a seemingly candid video of Michael Cera signing CeraVe bottles, sparking immediate curiosity and speculation. Simultaneously, "paparazzi" photos of Cera with CeraVe products were "leaked" to outlets like Reddit and the Daily Mail, amplifying the intrigue and giving the story a veneer of authenticity. To further blur the lines between reality and fiction, Cera sent out "bootleg" PR boxes filled with cryptic messages and CeraVe products, directly engaging beauty influencers and generating buzz within the online beauty community.
Phase two aimed to escalate the "conspiracy" by fueling the online debate and drawing in a wider audience. Cera's staged walk-off from @BobbiAlthoff's popular podcast, "The Really Good Podcast," provided another layer of "evidence" for the conspiracy theorists while also tapping into Althoff's Gen Z audience. A staged confrontation between Cera and a prominent dermatologist influencer, @DrShah, further amplified the conversation, pitting Cera's "expertise" against the authority of a medical professional. This created a humorous and engaging dynamic that encouraged audience participation and debate. Crucially, CeraVe's official social media channels and a network of dermatologists "fought back" against Cera's claims, maintaining the playful tone while subtly reinforcing the brand's core message: CeraVe is developed with dermatologists.
Phase three culminated in the Super Bowl reveal, where the campaign's true purpose was unveiled. The Tim & Eric-directed commercial, a parody of a self-serious 90s cologne ad, served as the punchline to the monthlong joke. The commercial's absurdist humor and Cera's deadpan delivery resonated with audiences, solidifying the campaign's viral success. This unconventional approach, making the Super Bowl commercial the resolution rather than the centerpiece, disrupted the typical Super Bowl advertising playbook.
One of the biggest challenges was Michael Cera's complete absence from social media. This limitation, however, became a strategic advantage. By avoiding traditional celebrity endorsement tactics, we created a sense of authenticity and mystery that captivated audiences. The campaign's success hinged on our ability to weave a compelling narrative across multiple platforms, using influencers, PR, and earned media to build momentum and make the audience active participants in the story. This earned-first, audience-centric approach, combined with the campaign's unique blend of humor and intrigue, set it apart from typical Super Bowl marketing efforts and cemented its place as a truly disruptive and memorable campaign.
The “Michael CeraVe” campaign exceeded all objectives, transforming CeraVe into a cultural icon and significantly expanding its reach. The campaign achieved 32 billion earned impressions, surpassing the 1 billion goal. Media coverage exploded, with over 2,000 articles published (far exceeding the goal of 50). CeraVe's audience grew by 5%, exceeding the 3% target. The campaign dominated Super Bowl conversations, achieving the #1 share of voice and 2.4x the engagements of all other health and beauty brands combined. The social media buzz was unprecedented, with the campaign trending on multiple platforms and generating organic participation from over 400 influencers. The campaign's success translated into record-breaking sales, with CeraVe achieving its highest-ever moisturizer sales week. These results demonstrate the power of a fully integrated, strategically executed campaign that leverages multiple media types to create a cohesive and engaging brand experience. Michael CeraVe was named the #1 Halloween costume by Good Housekeeping and was a clue on Jeopardy, firmly cementing the campaign in culture.
