From Serums to Scrambles: The Ordinary’s Latest Move

What’s trending in skincare this week? A dozen eggs, apparently. 

This week, skincare brand The Ordinary teamed up with MSCHF to offer a dozen eggs for just $3.37. Yes, eggs. In the middle of New York City’s ongoing egg shortage, The Ordinary took a break from beauty products and dropped this unexpected promo at 2 New York grocery stores.

It’s a quirky, attention-grabbing stunt in the midst of sky-high egg prices, but does it actually make sense for a brand that’s built on affordable skincare?

The Egg Situation

For those who haven’t noticed, eggs have been in short supply lately. Bird flu outbreaks have wiped out millions of hens across the U.S., pushing prices up to as much as $10 a dozen in some places. Shoppers have been sharing their frustration on social media, as empty egg shelves have become a familiar sight in grocery stores.

The Ordinary’s Unexpected Solution

In the middle of this crisis, The Ordinary saw an opportunity. The brand, known for its no-frills skincare products, took a bold step and offered New Yorkers a chance to buy a dozen eggs for $3.37. No fancy branding, just a simple offer: eggs at a reasonable price.

The promotion was posted on Instagram with a straightforward message: “We heard NYC needed eggs. This weekend, you can get 12 ordinarily priced eggs at our stores for $3.37—no frills, just eggs. While supplies last.”

It’s a classic move from The Ordinary—cutting through the noise and offering something simple at a fair price. But was it the right move?

What Works:

A Clever Marketing Stunt
Offering eggs isn’t the first thing you’d expect from a skincare brand, but The Ordinary is no stranger to breaking the mold. By jumping into a current conversation about egg shortages, they tapped into something that’s top of mind for many people, especially in New York City. 

Affordability, as Always
One of the things that The Ordinary has always done well is keeping things affordable. Whether it’s their famous niacinamide serum or hyaluronic acid, the brand doesn’t add unnecessary markups. So, offering eggs for a fraction of the price you’d pay at most grocery stores is in line with that value.

Increased Curiosity

Even if they're not interested in buying eggs, the curiosity factor might lead more people to check out what The Ordinary is up to. The campaign could drive attention to their actual products, even if their grocery-store egg stunt isn’t the main draw.

What Doesn’t Work:

The Vegan Dilemma
The obvious issue? The Ordinary is a vegan, cruelty-free brand. Selling eggs, even as part of a ‘joke’, seems at odds with their values. It’s a risky move that could confuse or alienate some customers who trust the brand for its ethical stance.

Brand Confusion
While The Ordinary has always been about simplicity, jumping into the egg market might come across as a bit too far out of left field. Some customers might find it hard to connect the dots between a beauty brand that prides itself on science-backed skincare and a carton of eggs.

The Ordinary’s egg stunt is definitely one of the more unusual marketing moves we’ve seen recently. It’s quirky, it’s attention-grabbing, and it certainly generated a lot of conversation online. 

Was it a marketing win? Maybe, but it’s a fine line. The play on affordability is strong, but it’ll be interesting to see if this stunt leaves a lasting impact on the brand’s image. Either way, The Ordinary has definitely made its mark this week—just not in the way anyone expected.

What do you think? Was it a genius move, or a little too off-brand?