• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, April 12, 2024

CeraVe, fresh from its 'medutainment’ triumph at the Super Bowl, is at it again. “The One Under the Sun” is a two-minute romcom styled to look like a Netflix trailer. We follow our heroine through ups and downs, canceled dates and unrealistic expectations. And finally, thanks to a handsome dermatologist, she finds the one: CeraVe Facial Moisturizing SPF 30.

The ads are running in movie theaters and digital and social media, where the company has been fueling followers with an elaborate influencer campaign and posting double-entendre-laden matchmaker content. Those influencers include a lineup of reality dating-show stars and 'dermfluencers,’ including TikTok Wallace Nozile, M.D., the matchmaking dermatologist who stars in the campaign.

The new ads, created by 72andSunny, were “conceived to redefine how we connect with our audience amidst evolving consumer preferences,” says Adam Kornblum, CeraVe’s senior vice president and global head of digital marketing. And it focused on Gen Z’s persistent efforts to avoid traditional ads.

Long-form ads are high-risk, especially among TikTok-loving young audiences – unless there’s a cinematic twist.

“Data on movie trailers showed that consideration and watch-through rates are higher on YouTube, so we leaned in,” he tells Marketing Daily via email. “The movie-trailer tactic was driven by its proven effectiveness in captivating audiences, the compelling data supporting its success, and its ability to generate significant lift in consideration.”

And in the same way that a movie trailer primes the audience to pounce on the full feature, “we aimed to create a similar level of anticipation and engagement for our skincare offerings.”

The campaign aims to educate consumers on the importance of wearing SPF daily. “While SPF should be worn every season, every day, consumers naturally start to think about SPF more as the warmer months approach,” he says. “So this was the perfect time to capture their attention. We want to create a long-term habit of applying SPF as a part of their routine.”

The effort follows the brand’s Super Bowl-centered splash, which starred actor Michael Cera, pretending to proclaim himself as the inventor of the line. The effort was among the most-watched ads of this year’s game.

Kornblum says the target market for this campaign is aimed mainly at Gen Z, followed by men and skin of color.

According to investment bank Piper Sandler's most recent teen survey, CeraVe is by far the most popular skincare brand, with a 38% share of voice. The Ordinary comes in second with 9%, followed by La Roche Posay, also owned by L’Oréal, at 6%.