The Ordinary Effect

I first discovered the skincare brand The Ordinary several years ago after moving to China. While speaking with a colleague who had flawless skin about my own skincare struggles, I asked what products she used. Her simple response was, "The Ordinary." I remember my confusion, thinking, "The ordinary what? Doesn't that imply ordinary results?" This scepticism led to numerous questions and, ultimately, my first purchase: The Ordinary's Retinol 0.5% in Squalane Serum, a product that remains in my routine today. This introduction to the brand revealed its transformative yet affordable results.

What is The Ordinary Effect?

The brand’s name, “The Ordinary,” signals a focus on essential, proven ingredients rather than extravagant marketing. It positions itself as practical, evidence-based, accessible, and affordable. This is reinforced through a masterfully consistent integrated marketing communication (IMC) mix, where every channel strengthens its core unique value proposition (UVP) (Nu.edu, 2024).

1. Product

The product is its most powerful marketing tool. The packaging is minimalist, clinical, and uniform. Each product is named directly after its active ingredients, communicating transparency and a scientific focus before the customer even reads a description. This builds immediate trust and accurately sets expectations.

2. Price

The pricing strategy is a clear communication of the brand's UVP. By offering affordable serums, The Ordinary effectively states that consumers are paying for ingredients, not fancy packaging, celebrity endorsements, or marketing fluff. This disruptive pricing model generates significant word-of-mouth and media coverage (Forbes, 2021).

3. Place

The retail experience is a direct extension of the brand. Staff are trained as "skincare guides" rather than salespeople, with a goal to educate and diagnose rather than to upsell. The in-store environment is clean, minimalist, and clinical, mirroring the packaging and digital presence.

4. Education over Promotion

The brand’s website features a diagnostic ‘Regimen Guide’ tool that helps users build a routine tailored to their specific concerns instead of simply pushing bestsellers. On social media, content is predominantly educational, featuring ‘Know Your Ingredients’ posts and myth-busting content that debunks common skincare misconceptions (Skeepers.io, 2024). User-generated content (UGC), like ‘skincare shelfies,’ provides powerful social proof. For influencer partnerships, the brand collaborates with credentialed experts like dermatologists, providing them with educational kits to ensure messaging aligns with its foundational ethos (Glossy.co, 2024).

Analysing the Effectiveness

1. Emotional Connection

The Ordinary deliberately avoids the traditional emotional levers of beauty advertising (e.g., glamour, aspiration). Instead, it builds trust through clinical transparency, making consumers feel smart and confident. This educational approach empowers shoppers, fostering a sense of self-efficacy and offering validation to an audience frustrated by overpriced products.

2. Market Response

The strategy has driven phenomenal market success. It generated massive word-of-mouth, cult-like loyalty, and viral social media trends, resulting in explosive sales growth. This culminated in Estée Lauder's acquisition of its parent company, Deciem, for $2.2 billion. Furthermore, the brand disrupted the entire skincare industry, forcing competitors to become more transparent about ingredients and launch their own clinically-focused lines (Forbes, 2021).

3. Brand Resonance

The Ordinary excels at creating intense consumer-brand relationships. It has fostered strong behavioural loyalty, with customers routinely buying and repurchasing multiple products. Customers also develop an affinity for what the brand represents, creating a sense of community that discusses, shares, and educates others about real skincare science.

The Ineffective Ordinary

However, no strategy is without its flaws. For a new customer, the vast amount of UGC and technical information can be overwhelming and confusing, potentially counteracting the brand's educational mission. The Ordinary must continue to research how to better onboard new consumers who are ‘ordinary’ but seeking extraordinary skincare solutions.

Conclusion

The Ordinary's IMC is a rare example of perfect alignment. Every marketing channel—from the product name and price to social media and in-store training—is meticulously crafted to reinforce its core UVP of transparency, education, and accessibility. Its effectiveness stems from its authenticity and consistency. The brand never wavers from its message, forging deep trust by empowering consumers with knowledge and making them feel like intelligent partners. This has resulted in unparalleled brand resonance, turning customers into a passionate community that is the brand's most powerful marketing asset.

In a world of emotional beauty marketing, The Ordinary has proven that trust is the most powerful emotion of all.