There is nothing subtle about Uncommon Creative Studio’s new campaign for The Ordinary. The brand’s fight against inflated beauty promises and misleading jargon continues with a surreal school and a sinister periodic table.

The campaign takes on the beauty industry’ promise of, and obsession with, eternal youth and the misleading words and phrases it uses to lure people into its web. As a result, 51% of UK skincare shoppers more likely to trust a product described as ‘luxury’, and one in 10 in the US would pay $75 more on a product that has ‘rare ingredients’.

So the campaign presents the Periodic Table, a scientific table with zero science that swaps elements for 49 beauty marketing buzzwords, to separate fact from fiction and highlight the urgent need for more transparency in the industry. The Periodic Table is introduced in an eerie film, directed by Smuggler’s Olivia De Camps, in which a classroom of students who appear to be hypnotised re-enact some of the viral skincare trends that dominate social feeds, such as the morning shed and ice rolling as they chant a series of ‘elements’, with choreography inspired by sculpting massage techniques.

​Nils Leonard, co-founder of Uncommon Creative Studio, commented, “We’re incredibly proud of the work we do for The Ordinary, a brand that continues to push the boundaries in the pursuit of its purpose. The Periodic Fable is the truth serum the beauty industry has been avoiding for decades. This table is a powerful teaching tool with the potential to rewrite the industry’s mistruths in a matter of minutes – using science to reframe how we understand beauty from now on.”

Amy Bi, VP of brand at The Ordinary, added, “Transparency and truth are at the heart of everything we stand for, but communicating this in new, interesting ways is no easy task. When Uncommon presented The Periodic Fable to us, we instantly loved its ability to convey our message so clearly, but with such impact. Consumers have the right to know exactly what they’re purchasing, but also what words and phrases are ultimately nothing more than marketing tactics.”

The Periodic Fable global campaign also includes static and motion OOH presenting the ‘elements’ in prominent sites, and influencer activity in the UK, USA, and Canada. A dedicated landing page allows consumers to interact with the Periodic Fable, clicking on each element to find out exactly why they are misleading.

The new campaign follows Uncommon and The Ordinary’s myth-busting campaign that launched in January.