Behind CeraVe’s Michael Cera conspiracy – the skincare campaign that stole the Super Bowl

The brand set out to launch its first-ever Super Bowl campaign to reclaim its position and elevate CeraVe from a cult favorite into a global cultural phenomenon. The goals? To solidify CeraVe as a dermatologist-developed brand and appeal to a broader, more diverse audience beyond its niche following.

However, there was a catch – Super Bowl viewers expect big-name celebrities and humor, not dermatologists and skincare scientists. CeraVe needed to balance becoming a cultural icon without losing its core values.

The challenge

In a high-stakes environment like the Super Bowl, CeraVe had to stand out amid celebrity-filled, comedic ads while staying true to its brand identity of dermatologist-backed products. The challenge was to create a campaign that showcased dermatologists as real celebrities while capturing the mass appeal required to grow their audience – especially targeting Gen Z and men, without alienating their loyal base of women ages 40 and older.

CeraVe aimed to achieve:

• 1B impressions
• 50 media articles
• 74K website visits
• +3% audience growth
• Top 10 share of voice during the Super Bowl

The solution: Michael Cera conspiracy

To break through the clutter, CeraVe created a playful, first-of-its-kind conspiracy with the help of Ogilvy: what if CeraVe was developed by actor Michael Cera (same name, baby-soft skin... you get the idea)?

This risky yet clever concept allowed CeraVe to use celebrities without compromising its core message. The conspiracy took off across social media and was fueled by four hero influencers, social partners, and PR tactics. CeraVe played along, “fighting back” through its owned channels, while the conspiracy spread across TikTok, Instagram, X, and Reddit. The conversation went viral, amassing 15.4B impressions before the Super Bowl commercial aired.

The campaign rollout

The campaign unfolded in three acts over four weeks leading up to the Super Bowl:

Fake news campaign: It all started with influencer @HayleeBaylee “spotting” Michael Cera signing CeraVe bottles, followed by “leaked” paparazzi photos that hit the front page of Reddit and Daily Mail.

Public conflict: The storyline escalated with Michael Cera sending out bootlegged PR boxes and walking off an interview with influencer @BobbiAlthoff, all while rumors spread across social platforms like TikTok, Threads, and Instagram.

Super Bowl Reveal: When the world debated the conspiracy, CeraVe set the record straight during their surprise Super Bowl commercial, securing the brand’s position as a cultural icon.

The campaign was boosted by 400+ influencers organically joining the conversation and media outlets picking up the story, with a pivotal reveal in The New York Times.

Glowing results

The Michael Cera conspiracy campaign achieved all of its KPIs – and more:

• 15.4B impressions before the commercial aired
• 400+ organic influencer engagements
• Viral buzz across TikTok, Instagram, X, and Reddit
• Featured on podcasts, meme’d across platforms and culminated in a New York Times exclusive

The Super Bowl commercial tied it together, setting the record ahead of millions and cementing CeraVe’s status as a dermatologist-backed and culturally relevant brand.

CeraVe’s innovative, daring strategy transformed a quirky conspiracy into a Super Bowl sensation, proving that dermatological integrity can be blended with viral, celebrity-fueled creativity to make an indelible mark in popular culture.

Ready to get your work recognized on a global stage? Enter The Drum Awards today. If you need more inspiration, read our Award Winning Case Studies.