CeraVe: Michael CeraVe

Gold Award

Michael CeraVe

CeraVe

United States

2025

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Entrant Company

Ogilvy PR

Entry Type

Product/Service

Program

Clio Awards 2025

Medium Type

Professional

Medium

Creative Strategy

Category

Creative Strategy

CeraVe: How a Fake Conspiracy Became a Real Phenomenon Skincare was drowning in celebrity endorsements and pseudoscience. So how did CeraVe, a brand made by dermatologists, break through? We weaponized the very thing we were fighting: hype. We created a conspiracy theory, starring the unlikeliest skincare guru imaginable: Michael Cera. Weeks before the Super Bowl, whispers of “Michael CeraVe” began circulating online. Leaked paparazzi photos, “bootlegged” PR boxes, even a staged interview walk-off fueled the flames. The internet went wild. CeraVe’s official denials only amplified the intrigue. The Super Bowl became our reveal. While other brands relied on the spot, ours was the culmination of a meticulously planned cultural hijacking. The result? 32 billion impressions, skyrocketed sales, and the #1 Halloween costume of 2024. "Michael CeraVe" wasn't just a campaign; it was a movement. Proof that a little playful deception can go a long way – especially when it reveals a deeper truth.

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Credits

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