Men don’t like to use skin products. Men go bald. Bald men are twice as likely to get skin cancer. That’s a challenge.
…and reaching men with a message they don’t want to hear is even trickier. Agency, Artplan, has engaged something men do like – humour. (90% of people are more likely to remember funny ads too.) The campaign, Bald Face, for Mami Wata, a Brazilian brand known for high-performance, natural, vegan, and reef-safe skincare, is built around a clever observation – the curious phenomenon of “bald face”. The natural folds on the back of a bald head that, with a bit of imagination, resemble a face.
To turn this insight into action, Mami Wata is offering a special promotion – two sunscreens for the price of one. But there’s a twist. The discount is activated by facial recognition technology capable of identifying the so-called “bald face” on the back of the head. The strikingly different discount idea applies facial recognition in a way never seen before: not to unlock your phone or verify your identity, but to detect a smiling fold on the back of your head and grant you a health-focused benefit.
The innovation uses machine learning algorithms trained to recognise facial features in unconventional locations. Once a “bald face” is detected, the system automatically unlocks the promotion, emphasising the campaign’s core message: if you’re exposed to twice the sun, you need twice the protection. It reinforces the importance of prevention, early diagnosis, and simple daily habits for skin health. The campaign’s humorous launch film highlights the “bald face” effect, featuring bald individuals whose head folds resemble faces with “eyes,” “noses,” and “mouths,” bringing the concept to life in a warm, respectful, and memorable way.
Prominent bald personalities, including former Olympic swimmer, Fernando Scherer (Xuxa), and actor-comedian, Toninho Tornado, are joining the initiative, sharing their own messages and experiences on social media to amplify the campaign’s reach.
“Our challenge was to communicate a serious health issue in a way that felt human and approachable,” stated Rodrigo Almeida, aka Monte, chief creative officer of Artplan. “We believe that humour, when used with care and empathy, can be a bridge to real awareness and change.”
Credits:
Client: Mami Wata
Mami Wata Team: Olivia Rabacov, Joana Estellita, Antonia Andrada, Crib Tanaka, Ronald Rosa
Creative Agency: Artplan
CCOs Dreamers Group: Rodrigo Almeida, Rafael Gil
CCOs Artplan: Rafael Gil, Rodrigo Almeida, Marcello Noronha
Creative Directors: Pedro Rosas, Pedro Galdi
Creative Team: Pedro Rosas, Pedro Galdi, Mariana Carvalho, Thiago Alves
CEO Artplan SP: Gláucia Montanha
Head of Business: Anna Sant’Anna
Group Account Director: Isabel Domingues
National Head of Planning: Paula Lagrotta
Head of Media: Joana Chulam
Project Director: Aurora Blotta
Project Manager: Andrea Hedler
Creative Data Director: Carolina Amorim
Content Director: Mayara Sauer
Head of Production: Felipe Cunha
Production Manager: Angela Felício
PR: Cláudia Nascimento, Luciana Thomaz
Production Company: Crème Company
Director: MANIMOU
Executive Producer: Fernando Carvalho
Production Coordination: Fernanda Hlataki
Account Management: Stella Shinyashiki
Director of Photography: Thiago Cauduro
Production Director: Eduardo Fernandes Ramos
Art Direction: PH de Menezes
Casting Producer: Rapha Barcalla
Makeup: Vinicius Gabriel Negrão
Stylist: Carol Donato
Post-Production: Ruffos Post
VFX & Post-Production: Post it VFX & Cerca Studio
Colour: Cora Post
Photographer: Paulo Vainer
Digital APP Development – 4Tuna: Victor Gaudio, Guilherme Cameron
