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In These Neutrogena Ads, No One Can See John Cena
Campaign plays on his catchphrase
“I just wanna be seen!”
Alas, John Cena’s tormented (and hilarious) pleas yield no results in BBDO New York’s Twilight Zone-style spots for Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Sunscreen.
The stuff’s invisible on your skin. So, John’s invisible to everyone in the campaign (though viewers can see him just fine).
This approach breaths fresh life into the ever-popular commercial-in-a-commercial sub-genre. Folks poke merciless fun at J.C., believing he’s nowhere nearby, They skewer his celebrity status, chiseled bod and big paydays. Dude wanders around, growing increasingly befuddled.
“That’s my applause!” Cena moans after a crew member reads his part during a rehearsal, even though John’s standing right next to her and they just spoke the lines in unison.
This approach makes great use of his “You Can’t See Me” WWE catchphrase, and it ties in effectively with the brand message. Notably, the humor hits even if viewers aren’t familiar with his wrestling schtick.
“I had a blast working on this campaign,” Cena says in press materials. It’s funny, but it also gets across a really important point—wearing SPF every day isn’t something you should skip. Neutrogena Ultra Sheer is lightweight, not greasy—and honestly, it’s so sheer you barely notice it’s there.”
We hear you, John. Seeing you is something else entirely.
Smuggler’s Randy Krallman directed. He just helmed a somewhat effort for FootJoy, with golf stars playing through a faux-commercial setup.
