The Secret Ingredient by The Ordinary Challenges Celeb Endorsements
Laura McQuarrie — April 28, 2025 — Marketing
References: theordinary & hypebae
Affordable, ingredient-focused skincare brand The Ordinary is pulling back the curtain on the inflated cost of influencer marketing with The Secret Ingredient pop-up. In New York City, The Ordinary set up an immersive experience that highlights the real cost of celebrity endorsements—and how consumers end up paying the price. The statement-making skincare pop-up draws the public in with a window depicting a large pile of cash representing the price that the brand would need to add to its products to pay for a celebrity endorsement.
“With some celebrity endorsements raising product prices by 30-100% or more and some A-list stars charging up to $10 million for a single post, The Ordinary is creating a storefront that offers an artistic visual representation of what those inflated prices could cost consumers,” said brand in a press statement.
Image Credit: hypebae, theordinary
“With some celebrity endorsements raising product prices by 30-100% or more and some A-list stars charging up to $10 million for a single post, The Ordinary is creating a storefront that offers an artistic visual representation of what those inflated prices could cost consumers,” said brand in a press statement.
Image Credit: hypebae, theordinary
Trend Themes
1. Transparency-inspired Marketing - Brands are increasingly adopting transparent marketing tactics that expose hidden costs to educate consumers and build trust.
2. Pop-up Experiences - Immersive pop-up events are being utilized as powerful tools for brands to engage and educate audiences through experiential storytelling.
3. Ingredient-focused Skincare - Consumers are gravitating towards skincare products that emphasize transparency and simplicity in their ingredient lists, challenging traditional marketing approaches.
4. Cost-conscious Consumerism - There's a shift towards consumer awareness and demand for pricing transparency, prompting brands to disclose celebrity endorsement costs that inflate product prices.
Industry Implications
1. Skincare - Skincare brands that focus on simplifying ingredient lists and transparent pricing are capturing market interest by appealing to informed consumers.
2. Experiential Marketing - The rise of experiential marketing is transforming how brands connect with their audiences, offering disruptive opportunities in immersive consumer education.
3. Influencer Marketing - As the true costs of celebrity endorsements come to light, influencer marketing faces disruptions that necessitate innovative, cost-effective strategies.
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