The Ordinary Calls Out Celebrity Endorsements
The Ordinary is exposing how over-the-top celebrity marketing impacts affordability in beauty with its provocative new pop-up, The Secret Ingredient.
Opening today in Soho, New York City, the pop-up invites visitors to explore the hidden costs behind celebrity-endorsed products, and how much more consumers could be getting without the A-list price tag. It does this through a bold artistic visual: a window display featuring a staggering $10 million pile of cash, representing the amount some celebrities charge for a single endorsement of a beauty product, fees it says are “passed directly onto the consumer through inflated prices.”
For The Ordinary, A-list celebrity endorsements are a ‘secret ingredient’, one that adds nothing to a formulation but raises a product’s cost by 30–100% or more. And although the brand acknowledges the value celebrities can bring to a beauty brand and its products, it believes they shouldn’t contribute to the rising prices of essential skincare.
The immersive pop-up — created by Uncommon Creative Studio — offers visitors a thought-provoking experience that also includes scientific one-to-one skincare advice, interactive exhibits, and photo opportunities. At its heart is a clear message: focus on ingredients and science, not celebrity.
“We’re a brand built on science, not celebrity. Most people don’t realize just how expensive this ‘ingredient’ can be,” said Amy Bi, VP of Brand at The Ordinary. “So we’re going to show them in the most visceral way possible. We’re excited to bring this to life in Soho and challenge the industry to rethink the value of marketing.”
Launched in 2016 by beauty incubator Deciem, The Ordinary is a Canadian skincare brand renowned for its commitment to transparency, affordability, and science-backed formulations. By focusing on potent active ingredients — such as niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and retinoids — without the frills of excessive marketing or elaborate packaging, The Ordinary offers effective solutions at accessible price points.
The pop-up is located at 433 Broadway and will run from 11:00am to 7:00pm until 27 April 2025.