Michael CeraVe

Associate Creative Director, Social Real-Time - Ogilvy

In 2024, for its first Super Bowl appearance, CeraVe launched an unforgettable, tongue-in-cheek campaign that mixed humor with immersive storytelling. The idea was simple but bold: start a rumor that Michael Cera secretly created CeraVe. The story began to spread through social media, influencer posts, and earned coverage, with moments like Haley Kalil’s viral TikTok of Cera signing products in a Brooklyn pharmacy setting the tone. Over 400 influencers joined in, posting sightings, unboxings, and playful speculation across TikTok, Instagram, and podcasts.

The strategy unfolded like a three-act story: first spark curiosity, then build tension as Cera “fought” CeraVe’s dermatologists over who really created the brand, and finally deliver the reveal during the Super Bowl. Before the game even aired, the campaign had earned between 9 and 15.4 billion impressions and generated CeraVe’s biggest moisturizer sales week ever, with a 25% sales lift reported by Forbes and Adweek. On Super Bowl Sunday, I helped lead real-time social content, capturing and amplifying the cultural conversation as the reveal went live.

The work went on to become one of the year’s most awarded campaigns. At Cannes Lions, it took home the Social & Influencer Grand Prix along with Gold, Silver, and Bronze honors in Health & Wellness, Media, PR, Film, and Entertainment. It also earned top recognition at Clio Health, D&AD, The One Show, and The ANDY Awards, proving how a playful idea can dominate culture and deliver measurable results.

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