CeraVe's brief for Michael Cera's Superbowl ad was simple: "We want people to think you're crazy"

In case you missed it because you were too busy watching Taylor Swift in the grand stands of Las Vegas' Allegiant Stadium, Michael Cera and CeraVe shut down the Superbowl with the brand's hilarious half-time ad.

In the advert Michael Cera claims to be the mastermind behind the brand CeraVe ("Oh, you didn't know?"), a Michael Cera masseuse uses the brand's moisturising cream to massage another Michael Cera, Micahel Cera climbs (and moisturises) a mountain, and Michael Cera and a porpoise compliment each other's moisturised skin. In the final few moments of the video it's revealed that Cera orchestrated the entire fever dream of a concept in order to convince a boardroom full of CeraVe execs that he should be the face of the skin care brand. 

The unlikely pairing was the result of a witty play on the brand and the actor's names Cera explained in an interview with Jimmy Fallon. 

"I have the last name Cera, as you know, so I think I was the only actor that they approached, fortunately for me," Cera said on The Tonight Show. "John Cena can't do it," the host joked. "Unless they change their product," Cera replied. "Yeah CenaVe, no," mused Fallon.

"I just had it locked up because I'm the only person named Cera," he said. "They were like, 'We want people to think you're crazy,' and I was like, 'Great, that'll get attention.'"

The satirical concept aired to a viewership of 120 million and people have subsequently spent many hours on social media commending the brand for the inspired approach.

Want to know what the hypes all about? This is BEAUTYcrew's expert review of the CeraVe Moisturising Cream. 

Main image credit: @cerave