In the spotlight:
"Industrial Emissions Face Mist"
2024 Bronze Effie
Effie is about awarding ideas that work, educating about effective marketing and showcasing the best work to enhance learning in our industry.
CAMPAIGN NAME
Industrial Emissions Face Mist
CATEGORIES
2024 Positive Change: Environmental - Brands
CLIENT
VATTENFALL
LEAD AGENCY
NORD DDB
CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION
When “Industrial Emissions Face Mist” launched, it was met with skepticism. A product promising to cleanse the face from air pollution - marketed by an energy company - raised eyebrows. Public trust was low, and the challenge was steep. But with limited budget and a bold idea, the brand embraced transparency, irony, and a dash of glamour. Through unexpected celebrity partnership, culturally attuned humour, and a strong social-led PR strategy, the brand turned doubt into dialogue, and cynicism into conversion - delivering standout engagement, earned media value, and increased brand affinity across Europe.
THE CHALLENGE
The brand was battling public doubt. As a major energy provider, launching a skincare product appeared tone-deaf - even greenwashing. The product was real, but the skepticism was just as authentic. Rather than hide from this tension, the brand faced it head-on. There was no rebrand, no major media budget, and no room to shift audiences. The mission was tough but clear: persuade a doubtful, even critical public, to trust that the brand was serious about sustainability—and serious about skincare—without sounding preachy or fake.
STRATEGIC APPROACH AND EXECUTION
The team leaned into brutal honesty and cultural self-awareness. The launch was featuring a film in collaboration with Cara Delevingne - an unexpected but popular public figure with the goal of increasing environmental awareness. The campaign told the truth: industrial emissions damage our skin, and the product was developed as a provocative response to this shared reality. Humorous social content, influencer reviews, and real-time PR storytelling amplified the message. The channel mix was delivering disproportionate buzz from a minimal budget, and successfully reframing the brand in the minds of skeptical Europeans.
Clear evidence of success:
- +31% increase in brand favourability across key European markets
- +24% lift in skincare category relevance for the brand
- €3.9M earned media value on a €3M campaign spend
RESULTS
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The campaign transformed public perception, elevating brand favourability by 31% across all target markets - exceeding the year-long target within the first six weeks.
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Product interest surged, with over 2.3 million unique visits to the Face Mist landing page and a 42% conversion to trial sample requests.
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Social media performance shattered expectations: 1.9 million organic impressions, a 27% engagement rate (more than 5x category norm), and thousands of consumer-generated posts, many using the product humorously and authentically.
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Earned media delivered exceptional value - €3.9 million on a €3 million spend - proving the power of PR-led, culturally sharp marketing to drive meaningful environmental conversation and brand reappraisal.
WHY A BRONZE EFFIE? Here's what the jurors said.
