Why E45’s transgender ad soothed audiences
E45 is a bit of a blank canvas as a brand, so its choice to put out a raw, behind the scenes style campaign celebrating the trans community was unexpected, but nonetheless impactful.
I must admit, when I first watched E45’s new advert, I mistakenly read that it was for the television channel ‘E4’. And turns out that might’ve been a backhanded compliment. The advert is, of course, for E45, the skincare brand known for its no-frills approach. The campaign ‘This Is Me. This Is My Space' was launched with agency T&Pm last year.
The ad centres on the experiences of transgender women, delivering a message of care and understanding that feels celebratory, understanding and empowering.
Unlike glossy, high-polish beauty ads, E45’s campaign embraces raw authenticity in a manner that, indeed, wouldn’t feel out of place in a trailer for a new E4 show.
The advert showcases real trans women in their own bathrooms, which are depicted in the ad as a space away from societal pressures. Or as the slogan puts it, “a place to take off my armour”.
Our take
There’s a mix of emotions going on in this ad, but it ultimately conveys a sense of freedom, newfound confidence and a pride in self-care.
The campaign aligns with E45’s purpose: caring for vulnerable skin. The direction works as much for what it doesn’t do. It’s not performative, preachy or tenuous. It succeeds where brands like Gillette failed.
We also read that E45 has seen a 77% surge in awareness, a 64% increase in positive buzz among 18 to 32-year-olds, since the launch, as well as a 46% boost in Amazon sales. So it seems to have landed well.
It’s not easy in the current year to pull off this kind of campaign, appealing to younger, socially conscious consumers. T&Pm, however, nailed the tasteful and inclusive execution, from casting to filming in real, personal spaces.
By centring the ad around the lived experiences of trans women, E45 has not only elevated its brand but also set a new standard for meaningful representation in advertising.
Credits
Client:
CMO: Anna Hale
Global Category Director: Sally Perry
Global Marketing Manager: Benjamin Court
UK Marketing Manager: Georgia Mundy
Global Skin Health Professional Marketing Lead: Virginia Melis
Agency: T&Pm
CEO: Sarah Golding
Creative
Global ECD: Toby Allen
Creative Directors: Sarina Da Costa Gomez, Kate Allsop Associate Creative Directors: Dan Dehlavi, Mika Alcock Global CSO: Neil Goodlad
Deputy Head of Strategy: David Adamson
Strategy Director: Hannah Fisher
Strategist: Georgia Ion
Business Director: Dan Symons
Senior Account Director: Jake Batty
Context Executive: Isy Purslow, Rachel Roberts
Head of Integrated Production: Charles Crisp Producer: Georgia Evert
Design: Lewis Peat
Media
Global Strategy Lead: Shula Sinclair
Global Client Lead: Nahida Rahmen
Executive Planning Director: Rachael Lake
Head of Commerce Strategy: Lesley Myers-Lamptey Client Lead: Laura Varnam
Business Director: Sophie Jubb
Account Manager: Edward Ringrow
PR (managed by Halpern)
Deputy Managing Director: Alex Pinder Division Director: Sandeep Sumal
Production Company: Academy Films Director: Sophia Ray
EP: Darapen Vongsa-Nga
Head of Production: Gemma Priggen Producer: Juliette Harris
Production Manager: Colum Ewart DOP: Adric Watson
Production Designer: Chris Melgram Casting Director: Sue Odell Intimacy Coordinator: Rufai Ajala
With special thanks to Helios at TRANS ON SCREEN
Offline: Cabin Edit Editor: Lainy Black Producer: Ruth Minkley
VFX / Colour: Black Kite Studios Colourist: Rich Fearon
Senior Producer: Alizée Levrino VFX Lead: Katie Rhodes
Shoot supervisor: Guillaume Weiss
Audio Post Production: King Lear Music & Sound Production: Suzy Macgregor / Natalie Curran
Sound Engineers: Dugal Macdiarmid
Composer: Nicholas Roder
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