There is a lot of hype in skincare advertising by brands – from alarmist claims about ingredients in other brands’ products to OTT promises about the results in theirs. “Scientifically tested” is a common phrase used to make these claims feel credible. But the actual science is hidden.
If we are all made to believe through celebrity-driven marketing that skin care is a ‘magical miracle’, why have the inner workings not been revealed to the public up to now? There’s a growing belief that we should just ‘buy’ and ‘trust’, knowing the ingredients. Inner lab ‘secrets’ are never transparent but shrouded in a marketer’s playbook. For years, paywalls have been the gatekeepers of this important information, information that could change an entire industry. They have been known to block progress and create consumer unease when it comes to gathering one’s knowledge about consumer goods.
The Ordinary sets itself apart as the skincare brand with honesty and integrity, that is transparent with ingredient percentages, packaging labels, non-use of celebrities within marketing, and puts facts in the hands of the people. So Uncommon Creative Studio and The Ordinary have decided to shake up big beauty like never before, releasing a series of white papers, accessible to all, that dispel common disbeliefs and mistruths that surround the industry. You could call it the Wikileaks of Beauty. It’s a searchable, digestible resource, with the original papers and explainers from scientists. Here are a few surprises: parabens are not, in fact, dangerous, natural ingredients can be toxic, the aluminium in deodorants isn’t harmful and mineral and chemical sunscreens are essentially the same.
The digital archive is free and available for anybody to access, unveiling striking truths about the industry’s most critical and misunderstood topics including parabens, ‘natural’ skincare, animal testing and more. To support and amplify the undertaking and its findings, Uncommon created a series of imagery each taking one truth from the digital archive and bringing it to life with striking black and white art direction. These visuals will be shown across press, outdoor and social, all with a call to action to drive traffic to the website and raise awareness of the research.
The undertaking supports the launch of the brand’s GF 15% Solution, its truths relating the product’s ingredients. But The Ordinary is committed to releasing more papers, opening up its new site to chemists and scientists all over the world, encouraging them to put forward their papers, and will fund access to consumers with no paywall limitations to create a plethora of open sources. Open sources mean more consumer trust, community knowledge, and a push toward a more transparent, and forward-thinking industry.
