Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in spooky horror ad about skincare

It’s the first day of the spookiest season of the year, and a new campaign from skincare brand Philosophy is chasing away the fright of retinol. The “Rated R” campaign, which launched Tuesday (Oct. 1) and was produced by agency Broken Seal, stars actress Sarah Michelle Gellar in a spot inspired by her legacy in horror films. Dark lighting and creepy sounds haunt Gellar as she stalks around her house searching for the source of the ominous sounds, narrowing it to the bathroom—where retinol awaits. The campaign plays on the association with fear to address the unnecessary trepidation many consumers feel about incorporating retinol into their skincare routines. It aims to show that while retinols may be scary to some, Philosophy is not. The cinematic campaign, directed by Joe Pernice, produced by Rich Salamone and filmed by renowned horror director of photography Jason Krangel, who is known for his work on multiple blockbuster horror films, will be shared across Philosophy’s and Gellar’s social channels. Additional content creators will create their own horror renditions on social media. In addition to the video, Philosophy is giving away 1,000 Rated R Fandango promotional codes redeemable for a movie ticket throughout October for free. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Sarah Michelle Gellar stars in spooky horror ad about skincare

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