These Clever Skincare Ads Popped Up on Surfaces as Dry and Cracked as Your Skin

With agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, Consonant Skincare broke ground on Toronto's Queen Street West with an outdoor campaign that uses local textures to create tactile experiences. 

Like most clever ideas, the campaign is simple. Passersby are invited to reach out and touch the brick, concrete and cracked surfaces they see daily, drawn in with subtle copy that says things like "If your skin feels as rough as…", followed by the opening date of the Queen Street West store.

"Consumers are seeking personalized skincare guidance from experts and don't know where to turn for answers," says Zulu Alpha Kilo founder and chief creative officer Zak Mroueh. "What better way to show a neighborhood that the brand will be there for all their skincare needs than by using the neighborhood itself to convey our message?" 

A coupon activation gives the work one extra layer, leveraging not only touch but the irresistible compulsion to peel things away. In this context, a few cute puns don't hurt, either. 

The coupons could be redeemed for 25 percent off at the opening.

The storefront itself was covered with a series of layered coupons that, from a distance, resembled the blurred image of a woman's face. As people peeled the coupons away, they revealed—surprise!—pristine skin.

Consonant Skincare is an organic skincare brand that's based on the notion that beauty brands shouldn't just sell stuff; they should better educate people about the unique qualities of their skin. The name "Consonant" comes from the use of the word as an adjective, and is defined on the website (and Webster's) as "in agreement or harmony with." 

The Queen Street West location will serve as a wellness hub, staffed by nutrition, dermatology, meditation and fitness experts. It will also provide custom skin analysis. 

"We are doing things differently in the category and wanted our communications to reflect that," says Consonant founder William Baker. "The team at Zulu understood that, and created an unconventional way to launch the store with a campaign that's clever and impossible not to notice. It reflects how we want to reinvent what it means to be a beauty brand in the 21st century." 

Rock-It Promotions promoted the campaign via social. The outdoor posters were printed with Seamliss Graphics & Marketing, per Media in Canada.

CREDITS
Advertiser: Consonant Skincare
PR and Social Media Team: Kelly MacDonald, Myriam Tardif
Clients: William Baker, Kristina Breckon, Jynessa Marczuk
Creative Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo
Creative Director: Gary Watson
Copywriter: Monika Leck, Ian Dunlop, Dylan Verwey
Art Director: Kevin Sato, Kyle Winsor, Manali Kulkarni
Chief Creative Officer: Zak Mroueh
Designer: Jack Curtis
Photographer: Shereen Mroueh
Account Management: Lisa Sousa, Nadine Arsenault, Skye Gandy
Design Director: Ryan Booth
Print Producer: Teresa Bailey
Studio Artists: Ashleigh O'Brien, Greg Heptinstall
PR Agency: Rock-it Promotions
Print Producer: Print Production Partner: Steve Cowan
Print Production Company: Seamliss Marketing & Graphics