Michael Cera x CeraVe: The Perfect Marketing Campaign?
We’re only a month into 2024 and so much has happened we don’t even know where to start. January was jam packed with microtrends, Tayvis memes, and the rise of the mob wife aesthetic. Amongst the chaotic energy, a surprising player rose above the noise to make some big headlines in the skincare marketing world. Let’s dive into how Canadian national treasure, Michael Cera, and cult-favourite skincare brand, CeraVe, executed one of the most brilliant marketing campaigns we’ve ever witnessed.
The Set-Up
A few weeks ago, celebrity gossip and lifestyle brand @deuxmoi posted one of its famous blind items hinting that Michael Cera might actually be the owner of the skincare brand, CeraVe, sparking an online debate that’s kept the brand’s name front and centre on social platforms for weeks.
The blind item was followed up by strange paparazzi shots of Cera carrying bags of the skincare around New York. One TikToker even captured video of Cera signing bottles of the Daily Moisturizing Lotion in a Brooklyn pharmacy. Finally, Cera walked out on an interview with creator and podcast host, Bobbi Althoff, when asked about his involvement with the brand.
The Fake Out
So, what the heck is going on? Is Cera really the founder of CeraVe? Pay close attention folks. You’ll notice that deuxmoi’s initial blind item TikTok post is tagged with a ‘Paid Partnership’ label. And that TikToker that just happened upon Cera at the pharmacy? Well, her name is Hayley Kalil and she’s a massive creator with 8.3 million followers on TikTok. Her post is also tagged with #ad and #ceravepartner. So were Bobbi Althoff’s interview clips.
A quick search of ‘Michael Cera Cerave’ on TikTok will bring up dozens of videos of other creators receiving Cera-branded PR packages from the skincare brand. So, yes it’s safe to say at this point that the skincare brand manufactured the rumours and capitalized on the buzz but they’re not showing their hand yet. They recently published a statement on their Instagram account shutting down the rumours and reminding their followers that, in fact, CeraVe was developed by dermatologists.
The Genius
Listen, whoever came up with this idea deserves a raise and an award for their genius. Why do we think this marketing campaign was so impactful? Here’s a breakdown of what you can learn from the CeraVe ‘scandal’ and it’s execution:
If you’re going to work with a creator, let them do what they do best.
While many creators received Cera-branded PR boxes, the major players involved in manufacturing this rumour were deuxmoi, Hayley Kalil and Bobbi Althoff. These are *heavy* hitters in the world of influencer marketing so you’ve got to let them do what they do best. They didn’t get to where they are now by accident. They know what their audience wants better than you do.
The blind item about Cera blended seamlessly with deuxmoi’s regular organic content, Althoff’s quirky and confrontational interview style is what she’s known for, and Kalil’s celebrity run-in felt so real she (almost 😉) had us going. Letting these creators engage with this campaign in a way that felt authentic and in-line with their regular content is what made this rumour believable.
If you’re going to partner with a celebrity, you’ve got to think outside the box.
In 2024, it’s not enough to sign a celebrity it girl with flawless skin to be a spokesperson for your beauty brand. It’s boring, it’s played out and consumers are smart enough to know that buying Rhode isn’t going to turn them into Hailey Bieber overnight. So, if you want to generate buzz think outside the box when it comes to both who you select to represent your brand and how you roll them out as a partner.
Your campaign should have a goal.
After all this chaos where did we land? With a statement from the brand reminding us that their formulas are … what? DERMATOLOGIST DEVELOPED. This is a huge value proposition for the brand and with all eyes on CeraVe, they had a golden opportunity to remind you of it.
Like we said, genius.
🧾 Deux Moi: https://www.tiktok.com/@deuxmoi/video/7327768089074863403?lang=en
🧾 Haleyy Baylee https://www.tiktok.com/@haleyybaylee/video/7327026578536549674
🧾 CeraVe statement: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2sMVGrNCef/
🧾 Bobbi Althoff interview: https://www.instagram.com/p/C2kjOpixxQk/
