Uploaded June 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
How did CeraVe – a skincare brand developed by dermatologists – win the Super Bowl? By re-writing the Big Game Playbook. We spread a month-long conspiracy theory: that CeraVe was developed by Michael Cera. 450 influencers made it viral, resulting in 15.4B earned impressions BEFORE the "Perfect" (TODAY) commercial revealed the truth. The #1 SB campaign (Forbes, Adweek, AdAge, GQ) led to +25% sales.
"Michael CeraVe" is a first-of-its-kind immersive campaign that invites everyone to participate in a memorable prank-like experience, only to be debunked on America’s biggest stage – the Super Bowl – by CeraVe’s dermatologists. The three-week campaign took people on a journey from “CeraVe, developed by Michael Cera” to “CeraVe, developed with dermatologists.”
The intricately developed integrated campaign was executed across earned, paid and owned channels, including social media and influencers. In the days leading up to the Big Game, Cera went toe-to-toe with dermatologists and revealed his own Michael CeraVe commercial to ‘prove’ he’s the master behind CeraVe. The truth came out during the Super Bowl-aired TV commercial, with Cera’s claims debunked by a boardroom of CeraVe dermatologists.
AWARDS
Cannes Lions 2024
- Social & Influencer Grand Prix
- Gold and Silver in Health & Wellness
- Gold and Silver in Media
- Gold and Silver in Social & Influencer
- Bronze in Entertainment
- Bronze in Film
- Bronze in PR
- Shortlisted in the Dan Wieden Titanium category
Clio Health Awards 2024
- Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix
- Film Grand Prix
- Integrated Grand Prix
- Partnerships & Collaborations Grand Prix
D&AD 2024
- Gold in Media (Social)
- 2 Gold in PR (Integrated and Use of Talent & Influencers)
- Silver in Media (Integrated)
- Silver in Digital & Social (Use of Talent & Influencers)
- Bronze in PR (Digital & Social)
One Show 2024
- 4 Gold in Integrated
- Gold and Silver in Influencer Marketing
- Gold and Bronze in Innovation
- Gold in Social Channel
- Gold in Social Media Post
- Silver in Social Media
- Silver in use of Humor
- Silver in Non-Traditional and Guerrilla Marketing
- Bronze in TV, VOD, Online
The ANDY Awards 2024
- Gold Bravery
- Gold Idea
CREDITS
Brand: CeraVe.
Creative Agency: Ogilvy PR, New York.
Production Company: PRETTYBIRD Culver City.
Associate Design Director: Christina Hillman.
Chief Creative Officer: Samira Ansari.
Chief Creative Officer North America: Chris Beresford-Hill.
Content Creator: Allison MacIntosh.
Creative: Rachel Frederick.
Creative Director: Alex Holm; Avi Steinbach.
Director: Eric Wareheim; Tim Heidecker.
Editor: Ian Mackenzie.
Experience Designer: Catalina Vela.
Global Chief Creative Officer: Juliana Richter; Liz Taylor.
Group Executive Producer: Marisa Bursteen.
Head of Production: George Sholley; Jessica Nugent.
Lead Influencer Manager: Ansley Williams.
Senior Art Director: Frans Ahlberg.
Senior Copywriter: Aron Ramstedt.
Senior Producer: Regan Wallace.
Social Creative: Victoria Treble.
Music Supervision: Leland Music.
Social Agency: BPCM; Obviously.
VFX: Blacksmith.
Account Supervisor: Sally Gibb.
Agency Project Manager: Alan Gutman.
Client Managing Director: Tina Galley.
Community Manager: Victoria Masterson.
Executive Engagement Director: Kristina Prickett.
Executive Group Account Director: Liesl Lipford.
Head of Social: Christine Cotter.
Influencer Manager: Sherri Schubert; Olivia Prendergast; Yasmin Koo.
Operations Director: Lisa Boyd.
Planner: Carlos Dorenbaum.
PR Account Supervisor: Mia Kain.
President: Charlotte Tansill; Darla Price.
Senior Analyst: Sakshi Kabra.
Senior Data Strategist: Diana Budman.
Senior Social Strategist: Ben Greengrass.
Senior Vice President: Stefanie Schmit.
Social Media Specialist: Grace Fertenbaugh.
Vice President: Vanessa Legutko.
Media Agency: BCL.
How did CeraVe – a skincare brand developed by dermatologists – win the Super Bowl? By re-writing the Big Game Playbook. We spread a month-long conspiracy theory: that CeraVe was developed by Michael Cera. 450 influencers made it viral, resulting in 15.4B earned impressions BEFORE the "Perfect" (TODAY) commercial revealed the truth. The #1 SB campaign (Forbes, Adweek, AdAge, GQ) led to +25% sales.
"Michael CeraVe" is a first-of-its-kind immersive campaign that invites everyone to participate in a memorable prank-like experience, only to be debunked on America’s biggest stage – the Super Bowl – by CeraVe’s dermatologists. The three-week campaign took people on a journey from “CeraVe, developed by Michael Cera” to “CeraVe, developed with dermatologists.”
The intricately developed integrated campaign was executed across earned, paid and owned channels, including social media and influencers. In the days leading up to the Big Game, Cera went toe-to-toe with dermatologists and revealed his own Michael CeraVe commercial to ‘prove’ he’s the master behind CeraVe. The truth came out during the Super Bowl-aired TV commercial, with Cera’s claims debunked by a boardroom of CeraVe dermatologists.
AWARDS
Cannes Lions 2024
- Social & Influencer Grand Prix
- Gold and Silver in Health & Wellness
- Gold and Silver in Media
- Gold and Silver in Social & Influencer
- Bronze in Entertainment
- Bronze in Film
- Bronze in PR
- Shortlisted in the Dan Wieden Titanium category
Clio Health Awards 2024
- Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix
- Film Grand Prix
- Integrated Grand Prix
- Partnerships & Collaborations Grand Prix
D&AD 2024
- Gold in Media (Social)
- 2 Gold in PR (Integrated and Use of Talent & Influencers)
- Silver in Media (Integrated)
- Silver in Digital & Social (Use of Talent & Influencers)
- Bronze in PR (Digital & Social)
One Show 2024
- 4 Gold in Integrated
- Gold and Silver in Influencer Marketing
- Gold and Bronze in Innovation
- Gold in Social Channel
- Gold in Social Media Post
- Silver in Social Media
- Silver in use of Humor
- Silver in Non-Traditional and Guerrilla Marketing
- Bronze in TV, VOD, Online
The ANDY Awards 2024
- Gold Bravery
- Gold Idea
CREDITS
Brand: CeraVe.
Creative Agency: Ogilvy PR, New York.
Production Company: PRETTYBIRD Culver City.
Associate Design Director: Christina Hillman.
Chief Creative Officer: Samira Ansari.
Chief Creative Officer North America: Chris Beresford-Hill.
Content Creator: Allison MacIntosh.
Creative: Rachel Frederick.
Creative Director: Alex Holm; Avi Steinbach.
Director: Eric Wareheim; Tim Heidecker.
Editor: Ian Mackenzie.
Experience Designer: Catalina Vela.
Global Chief Creative Officer: Juliana Richter; Liz Taylor.
Group Executive Producer: Marisa Bursteen.
Head of Production: George Sholley; Jessica Nugent.
Lead Influencer Manager: Ansley Williams.
Senior Art Director: Frans Ahlberg.
Senior Copywriter: Aron Ramstedt.
Senior Producer: Regan Wallace.
Social Creative: Victoria Treble.
Music Supervision: Leland Music.
Social Agency: BPCM; Obviously.
VFX: Blacksmith.
Account Supervisor: Sally Gibb.
Agency Project Manager: Alan Gutman.
Client Managing Director: Tina Galley.
Community Manager: Victoria Masterson.
Executive Engagement Director: Kristina Prickett.
Executive Group Account Director: Liesl Lipford.
Head of Social: Christine Cotter.
Influencer Manager: Sherri Schubert; Olivia Prendergast; Yasmin Koo.
Operations Director: Lisa Boyd.
Planner: Carlos Dorenbaum.
PR Account Supervisor: Mia Kain.
President: Charlotte Tansill; Darla Price.
Senior Analyst: Sakshi Kabra.
Senior Data Strategist: Diana Budman.
Senior Social Strategist: Ben Greengrass.
Senior Vice President: Stefanie Schmit.
Social Media Specialist: Grace Fertenbaugh.
Vice President: Vanessa Legutko.
Media Agency: BCL.
