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The Ordinary’s Extraordinary Campaigns
Redefining Skincare Marketing with Honesty and Design
In partnership with
In a world where marketing often over-promises and over-polishes, The Ordinary has done the exact opposite—and thrived. With minimalist packaging, unfiltered messaging, and science-first products, the skincare brand has built a cult following by refusing to follow the industry playbook.
But beyond the clinical names and affordable serums lies a brilliant branding machine—one that uses contradiction, honesty, and design to stand out in a saturated market. In this edition of Startup Stoic, we explore how The Ordinary’s campaigns challenge norms and what founders can learn from its refreshingly blunt approach.
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How The Ordinary Built Trust Through Simplicity
Launched by parent company DECIEM, The Ordinary disrupted the skincare market by doing something radical: telling the truth. No airbrushed models, no vague claims, no inflated pricing. Each product is named after its core active ingredient (like “Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%”)—and is sold at a fraction of luxury brand prices.
This commitment to transparency became the foundation of their marketing. Rather than hiding behind branding, The Ordinary chose to lean into science and let the customer decide.
Recent Campaigns That Cut Through the Noise
1. “Everything Is Chemicals” Outdoor Campaign
Created with design studio Uncommon Creative Studio, this striking campaign uses clean typography, white space, and bold copy to challenge the fear-based narratives common in beauty advertising.
The Ordinary IG Post
Posters carry statements like:
“Water is a chemical.”
“Marketing has lied to you.”
“What’s in your skincare should sound like a science experiment.”
By turning scientific jargon into a badge of honor, The Ordinary invites consumers to rethink what they’ve been taught about “clean” beauty.
Why It Works:
Treats consumers as intelligent, not gullible
Sparks curiosity instead of making empty promises
Uses visual minimalism to stand out on crowded streets and social feeds
2. The Transparent Archive: Myth-Busting with Design
In 2024, The Ordinary launched a free digital archive exposing skincare myths, unproven claims, and greenwashing. This wasn’t just a brand flex—it was a direct strike at an entire industry built on opacity.
The Ordinary Campaign
The archive featured:
A searchable, shareable index of debunked myths
Honest definitions of common ingredients
Side-by-side comparisons of real science vs. marketing spin
Why It Works:
Turns education into a marketing weapon
Builds long-term trust through openness
Creates a content hub users return to (and share)
3. Anti-Hype = New Hype
The Ordinary never relies on flashy influencers or product reveals. Its tone is consistent: calm, informative, and anti-exaggeration. Even during product launches, the brand avoids buzzwords—choosing instead to focus on formulation details and research-backed outcomes.
It’s become a badge of sophistication to "get" The Ordinary—to know how to pronounce and use ingredients that sound more like chemistry than beauty.
Why It Works:
Taps into intellectual identity
Creates insider appeal through product knowledge
Reinforces credibility with every interaction
Design as Strategy
The Ordinary’s graphic system is a masterclass in restraint. Everything—from packaging to billboards—is ruled by:
Neutral color palettes
Clinical fonts
Consistent layouts
Label-like presentation
It echoes pharmaceutical design and cues seriousness. Ironically, by looking un-designed, it stands out more than the ornate competitors around it.
Startup Stoic Takeaways
Principle | How The Ordinary Applies It | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|
Radical honesty | Busts myths and avoids fluff | Drop jargon. Say what your product really does |
Design discipline | Uses structure and white space | Build a brand system, then stick to it |
Educated audience | Respects consumer intelligence | Speak to curiosity, not fear |
Content over ads | Turns facts into assets | Turn your FAQ into your best funnel |
Minimalism as signal | Leans into restraint | Remove anything that doesn’t serve clarity |
To Conclude…
The Ordinary didn’t just disrupt skincare with price or product—it did it with philosophy. It trusted people to care about ingredients. It turned skepticism into loyalty. And it made marketing feel like a conversation, not a pitch.
For startups, the lesson is clear: You don’t need louder ads or trendier visuals. Sometimes, the most effective strategy is to speak plainly, design clearly, and trust your audience to think for themselves.
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Until next time,
Team Startup Stoic