“Your parents didn’t have options. You do.”

This is an ad for CeraVe’s Hydrating Sunscreen. We found this on Behance which was posted by Flores Barrantes, Juan Luis Fernández Toledo, Racheliz Medina, and Lynette Cintron. 

As of sending this, we can’t confirm if this ad actually went out for publication or if it’s spec work. Either way, we think this ad is a genius concept, check it out: 

Why it works

This ad is both funny and relatable, tapping into a universal childhood memory: being slathered with thick, sticky sunscreen. By evoking that experience, it perfectly sets the stage for their solution—a sunscreen that’s gentle, effective, and leaves no visible residue.

The tagline “Your parents didn’t have options. You do.” paired with this image of a sad child with white cast all over their face is their way of saying that they have 0% white cast without having to be so overt about it (though they do say it in small font at the bottom). 

Check out this other example from the same campaign:

How to apply this concept

This ad goes back in time to highlight what didn’t exist before their product. Think of what people had to do before your product (or even your industry) existed and see what images that conjures up. 

Feel free to go further back than is absolutely necessary – this CeraVe ad could have tried to compare to lesser sunscreens of just a few years ago, but the more exaggerated approach can drive the point home in a much more memorable way.

For example:

• An online bookkeeping platform could show a frustrated businessperson with piles of paper receipts or even an old-timey mechanical cash register complete with sepia filter.

• A modern razor ad might show a scared young man with shaving cream on their face, holding a single-bladed razor to their neck for the first time – promoting a modern 5-bladed cartridge razor with 2 gel strips.

• Imagine an ad for last issue’s Xbox PC Game Pass featuring a photo of people lining up outside a big box retailer to buy a physical game cartridge.

And that's all for today. But if you want some more ad inspiration, make sure to study today's sponsors:

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