When Humor Meets Awareness: How A Fun Campaign Sparked A Serious Message About Skin Health

In an initiative created by Artplan, Mami Wata sunscreen develops facial recognition technology capable of identifying hidden faces on the back of bald heads.

Recent studies have shown that humor can be a powerful tool in communication. According to Oracle’s The Happiness Report, 91% of consumers prefer brands that use humour, and 90% are more likely to remember funny ads. Yet, only a fraction of brands actually embrace humour in their campaigns. Inspired by this gap, Mami Wata—a Brazilian brand known for high-performance, natural, vegan, and reef-safe skincare—launches Bald Face, a campaign that uses lightness and creativity to raise awareness about a serious issue: sun protection for bald people.

One of the most curious aspects of baldness is the phenomenon known as the “bald face”—the natural folds on the back of the head that, with a bit of imagination, resemble a face. While many find this visual resemblance amusing, it highlights a real health concern: without hair to protect it, the scalp becomes more vulnerable to the sun, effectively doubling the exposed area. This increases the risk of sunburn, long-term damage, and even skin cancer.

To turn this insight into action, Mami Wata is offering a special promotion: two sunscreens for the price of one. But there’s a twist—the discount is activated by facial recognition technology capable of identifying the so-called “bald face” on the back of the head.

In a bold and unexpected move, the campaign subverts a well-known technology—facial recognition—and applies it in a way never seen before: not to unlock your phone or verify your identity, but to detect a smiling fold on the back of your head and grant you a health-focused benefit.

Developed in partnership with Artplan, this innovation uses machine learning algorithms trained to recognize facial features in unconventional locations. Once a “bald face” is detected, the system automatically unlocks the promotion, emphasizing the campaign’s core message: if you’re exposed to twice the sun, you need twice the protection.

The initiative was created by Artplan—the largest Brazilian agency with 100% national capital—and it reinforces the importance of prevention, early diagnosis, and simple daily habits for skin health. The campaign’s launch film creatively highlights the “bald face” effect, featuring bald individuals whose head folds resemble faces with “eyes,” “noses,” and “mouths,” bringing the concept to life in a warm, respectful, and memorable way.

Prominent bald personalities, including former Olympic swimmer Fernando Scherer (Xuxa) and actor-comedian Toninho Tornado, are joining the initiative, sharing their own messages and experiences on social media to amplify the campaign’s reach.

“Our challenge was to communicate a serious health issue in a way that felt human and approachable,” says Rodrigo Almeida, also known as Monte, Chief Creative Officer of Artplan. “We believe that humor, when used with care and empathy, can be a bridge to real awareness and change.”

To access the two-for-one sunscreen promotion, visit www.baldfaces.com.

Baldness affects millions of people worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 50% of men over the age of 50 experience some degree of hair loss. In Brazil, that number reaches around 42 million. According to the Brazilian Society of Dermatology, not protecting the scalp properly can increase the risk of developing skin cancer by up to 30%.

Technical Sheet – Bald Faces

Agency: Artplan

Client: Mami Wata

Campaign: Bald Faces

CCOs Dreamers Group: Rodrigo Almeida, Rafael Gil

CCOs Artplan: Rafael Gil, Rodrigo Almeida, Marcello Noronha

Creative Direction: Pedro Rosas, Pedro Galdi

Creative Team: Pedro Rosas, Pedro Galdi, Mariana Carvalho, Thiago Alves

CEO Artplan SP: Gláucia Montanha

Head of Business: Anna Sant’Anna

Group Account Director: Isabel Domingues

National Head of Planning: Paula Lagrotta

Head of Media: Joana Chulam

Project Director: Aurora Blotta

Project Manager: Andrea Hedler

Creative Data Director: Carolina Amorim

Content Director: Mayara Sauer

Head of RTV: Felipe Cunha

RTV Manager: Angela Felício

PR: Cláudia Nascimento, Luciana Thomaz

Mami Wata Team: Olivia Rabacov, Joana Estellita, Antonia Andrada, Crib Tanaka, Ronald Rosa

Image Production Company: Crème Company

Direction: MANIMOU

Executive Production: Fernando Carvalho

Production Coordination: Fernanda Hlataki

Account Management: Stella Shinyashiki

Director of Photography: Thiago Cauduro

Production Director: Eduardo Fernandes Ramos

Art Direction: PH de Menezes

Casting Producer: Rapha Barcalla

Makeup: Vinicius Gabriel Negrão

Stylist: Carol Donato

Post-Production: Ruffos Post

VFX and Post-Production: Post it VFX, Cerca Studio

Color: Cora Post

Photographer: Paulo Vainer

Digital APP Development – 4Tuna: Victor Gaudio, Guilherme Cameron

Source: Artplan

  Artplan, Mami Wata, Rodrigo Almeida