For decades, advertising has played a role in shaping harmful beauty stereotypes—even in Finland, a country that ranks among the highest globally for gender equality, as the 3rd most gender-equal nation and the 2nd best country in the world to be a woman.

When K-Citymarket, the largest supermarket chain in Finland, set out to launch its new beauty portfolio, TBWA\Helsinki knew it had to be done differently. They shifted the narrative from objectification to empowerment—by tapping into a music genre deeply rooted in Nordic culture.

Heavy Makeup broke female beauty stereotypes by turning traditional tutorials into the most powerful beauty content ever made. To launch K-Citymarket’s new beauty portfolio, TBWA\Helsinki partnered with four rising stars of the Finnish metal scene—Sara Strömmer, Susanna Alexandra, Katarina Sorsa, and Tuuli Paju—and transformed everyday beauty routines into heavy metal anthems.

Each track represented a different metal sub-genre, pairing genre and routine in unexpected ways: Glam Metal for skincare and cleansing, Power Metal for eye makeup, Hyperpop for haircare, and Death Metal for glow-up makeup. All songs were recorded at the legendary Sonic Pump Studios, known for producing iconic Finnish acts like Stratovarius, Sonata Arctica, and Amorphis.

The artists brought the project to life on social media, where fans joined in—sharing their own beauty tutorials using the songs as soundtracks. To spark further buzz, journalists, musicians, and influencers received exclusive skincare kits packaged in custom amplifier-style boxes, generating widespread organic coverage and making Heavy Makeup a celebration of both beauty and rebellion.