Microbiome company claims it won’t use Billboards to promote its products
Seed Health, a microbiome science company and creator of the DS-01® Daily Synbiotic, just unveiled a billboard in Times Square. But the company – also known for a viral Gwyneth Paltrow ‘anti-ad‘ – says it won’t use the spot to promote its products.
In what the company describes as a “bold continuation of its anti-marketing legacy” Seed has reimagined this prime ad space as environmental activism.
“The Ad for Earth, revealed in Times Square on New Year’s Eve, serves as a dynamic PSA in one of the world’s most iconic and commercial locations,” said Ara Katz, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Seed Health. “We wanted an Ad for Earth to serve as a striking reminder of ‘One Health’, the concept that articulates the interconnectedness of all life, and therefore health, on our planet. Amid an urban environment like New York City, especially a commercial hub like Times Square, it’s easy to lose touch with the vast, natural beauty of Earth. Inspired by the Overview Effect that astronauts report the first time they see Earth from space, our ad is a visual prompt, urging and inspiring the stewardship of our collective home.”
The creative is a wildlife video sourced by submission from Seed Health’s 7M+ @earth creator community and it has already garnered 18 million+ impressions. The Ad for Earth will be running for the next month, and they plan to continue experimenting in Times Square throughout the year.
‘…we are driven by the idea that ‘science isn’t finished until it’s communicated.’
OOH Today asked Katz more about the company’s anti-ad strategy. If Seed Health promotes its anti-ad strategy, then- isn’t that still advertising? Is there some hypocrisy in doing a story and PR about the company doing an ad that is an anti-ad?
He responded that the company drew inspiration from Marshall McLuhan’s famous quote, “The medium is the message” from the 1964 book Understanding Media.
“Our approach at Seed Health is not about anonymity, but about provoking discourse. Our ‘anti-ad’ strategy employs unconventional methods that spotlight the manipulative elements of commercial advertising, often using satire, parody, or direct opposition to typical strategies. The aim is to encourage discourse (like this one) and to communicate, in certain moments, the stories we want to tell,” Katz said.
Other “anti-advertising efforts” from the company have included:
- In 2019, the #GiveAShit for Science campaign to crowdsource the world’s largest database of stool images and destigmatize conversations around poop and gut health, reflecting their core work in microbiome science and showing the diagnostic value of stool.
- ‘The Most Sh*ttiest NFT‘ — the first NFT made from human fecal matter, further challenging conventional perceptions and redefining the value of what’s often dismissed as waste.
- @SeedUniversity to educate their partners in microbiome science and FTC guidelines—all through a “university” program that exists exclusively in an Instagram account. Seed Health describes it as the antidote to traditional influencer marketing.
Seed Health knows what causes its users care about and uses that as a platform to further raise awareness about its brand and about causes that are important to it. It’s an interesting approach to advertising.
“Central to our brand is the concept of first principles thinking — dissecting and reassembling ideas to innovate and rethink established assumptions. This philosophy allows us to transform every opportunity, such as a New Year’s Eve billboard in Times Square, into a platform for new possibilities. Further, we are driven by the idea that ‘science isn’t finished until it’s communicated.’ We blend science with social relevance, aiming to ignite conversations, challenge norms, and enrich the public’s understanding of microbiome science and health,” Katz said.
What are your thoughts? Does anti-advertising work? Is this an innovative use of OOH? Let us know in the comments below!