The Ordinary’s Latest Stunt Goes Viral: Fans Queue Round the Block to Check Out Immersive Installation by Uncommon, Which Calls Out Pricey Celeb Endorsed Products
On Friday, The Ordinary unveiled a disruptive new installation, displaying a staggering $10 million in cold hard cash* in the windows of a store in Soho, NYC
- Although the dollars aren’t real, the eye-watering sum brought to life the inflated cost of celebrity-backed beauty products
- It is a physical representation of the total figure the brand would need to add onto the cost of their products if they used celebrity ambassadors — with A-listers typically increasing prices by 30–100%**
- The “Secret Ingredient” store was created by Uncommon Creative Studio to reinforce The Ordinary’s commitment to transparency
- The pop-up attracted the attention of thousands of fans, some of whom queued for more than 2 hours to check out the immersive installation
TUESDAY 29TH APRIL 2025: Skincare brand The Ordinary’s latest stunt, designed to spark conversation around the true cost of beauty products backed by A-list celebrities, commanded queues around the block in New York over the weekend.
The ‘Secret Ingredient’ storefront was filled with fake US dollars, totalling $10 million, an eye-watering sum which represents the amount The Ordinary would need to increase the cost of its products by, if celebrity ambassadors were used, with the fees involved being passed onto the consumer without their knowledge.
People in New York were mystified as overnight, millions of dollars were seen to be unloaded and dropped into a storefront on Broadway by security guards — with a passers-by posting the moment on Reddit.
With thousands of skincare fans queuing for more than 2 hours for the chance to enter the immersive experience, which featured product giveaways, informative displays and more, the pop-up also generated tons of hype on social. Influencer @thebrandblueprint_ called it a ‘genius way to communicate what makes you different to your customer’, and comments on their viral post from fans included ‘we love a company that puts us first’.
The concept was created by Uncommon Creative Studio, and aims to showcase The Ordinary’s ongoing commitment to making skincare attainable for all, as well as acting as a rally cry for the industry to prioritise consumer transparency.
Nils Leonard, co-founder of Uncommon Creative Studio, comments: “Working with a brand like The Ordinary that is so committed to driving real, positive change in the industry is an absolute joy. They are the type of brand we built the studio to partner with. This experience is all about stopping people in their tracks, sparking conversation with a vulgar power, an iconic visual that lands an important and timely message. The Ordinary aren’t playing a role in a category, they are turning it on its side.”
A spokesperson from The Ordinary comments: “Whilst we acknowledge that promoting products with celebrity ambassadors can add value to beauty brands, most people don’t realise just how expensive this ‘ingredient’ can be, so we’ve decided to show them in the most visceral way possible. We believe effective skincare should be accessible, and that these costs shouldn’t be passed onto the consumer, particularly when prices are already rising. We’re excited to bring this message to life in the heart of New York”.
Alongside the physical store, the ‘Secret Ingredient’ campaign encompasses flyposters, social content, press and influencer activity.
CREDITS:
Project Name: The Secret Ingredient
Client: The Ordinary
Creative Studio: Uncommon Creative Studio
