# Debunking Skincare Campaigns The Periodic Fable by The Ordinary Exposes Beauty Industry Buzzwords By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2025-10-14 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/periodic-fable References: [famouscampaigns](https://www.famouscampaigns.com/2025/10/the-ordinary-takes-aim-at-skincare-pseudoscience/) & [theordinary](https://theordinary.com/en-gb/the-periodic-fable.html#/)  Affordable skincare brand [The Ordinary](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-secret-ingredient-pop-up) is known for its no-nonsense, ingredient-centric formulations and 'The Periodic Fable' is a new campaign that tackles misleading beauty marketing. Created with [Uncommon Creative Studio](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-ordinary-x-uncommon), the campaign refreshes the periodic table of the elements with terms like "pore-erasing," "intensive therapy," and "rare ingredient" to call out commonly used jargon and pseudo-scientific terms. Thanks to a digital experience from the brand, curious consumers can click through each term to demystify it or debunk its supposed benefits. As part of a dystopian-style film directed by Olivia De Camps and produced by [Smuggler](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smuggler-marmite), the campaign goes further, playing up the classroom theme by showing students mindlessly following fads like ice rolling and morning shedding—until one student breaks free from the hypnotic trance. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 8.1/10 - Popularity: 96% | Activity: 96% | Freshness: 52% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America, Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Commercials](https://www.trendhunter.com/commercials) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Transparent Skincare Marketing:** The movement towards transparency in beauty marketing focuses on exposing myths and challenging misleading buzzwords that traditionally dominate advertisements. - **Educational Consumer Experiences:** The integration of digital platforms that educate consumers about product ingredients signifies a shift towards more informed purchasing decisions in the beauty industry. - **Dystopian-themed Promotional Content:** Utilizing dystopian-style narratives in marketing campaigns serves as a creative way to critique industry norms and engage audiences. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Beauty and Personal Care:** This industry faces disruptions as consumer demand intensifies for honesty and clarity in product labeling and marketing tactics. - **Digital Media and Marketing:** Companies offering digital tools that enhance consumer education on products are likely to see increased demand from brands seeking more interactive and informative marketing strategies. - **Film and Video Production:** Producing narrative-driven promotional content allows brands to communicate complex messages creatively, aligning with consumer preferences for engaging storytelling. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Unique Skin Spot Treatments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/powdertocream-concentrate.md) - [Milky Coffee Collabs](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-ordinary-x-milkys.md) - [Mindful-Shopping Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/slovember-campaign.md) - [Ingredient-Focused Bodycare](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-ordinary-body-care.md) - [Multi-Peptide Hair Serums](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/multipeptide-lash-and-brow.md) - [Peptide Wrinkle Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/argireline-serum.md) - [Greek Countryside Rural Retreats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/house-in-an-olive-grove.md) - [Cost-Effective Skincare Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/choose-a-price.md) - [Hydrating Barrier Care Essences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/multiactive-delivery-essence.md)