REFLECTING SHIFTING MEANINGS FOR SKINCARE COMMUNICATIONS
the brief
This project was briefed in by a multinational advertising agency’s Manila office for a pharmaceutical client’s dermo-cosmetic brand. They wanted to see how they could evolve their two-year long campaign to make way for new product introductions and communicationsin for the next two years.
Targeted at modern, “Women of Substance” who not only value looking good but being smart and informed, the brand enjoyed success as a no-nonsense solution for various skin issues. The resulting ad campaign developed around the central idea of “Think + Beautiful” tells women that they do not have to be one or the other, that contrary to what they have been told, they can be beautiful as well as confident, intelligent and accomplished. Skin health is foundational to carrying and reflecting this mindset.
The challenge as a Strategist was to see how we could refresh messaging seeing that ad and brand metrics were showing weak spots in terms of emotional engagement and affiliation. At the same time, with future innovations in the pipeline, Clients were ready to deliver a stronger message of efficacy through a wider range of skincare solutions including anti-aging, acne, brightening, sun protection and dermo-cosmetics.
The design question: How might the brand update its no-nonsense approach to beauty while connecting with a complex and nuanced consumer base in a meaningful and relevant way?
the thinking
Research began with an analysis of a comprehensive Skincare Consumer Segmentation study . The review revealed that these “Women of Substance” had certain, specific motivations like the need to stay on top of things, have the proper tools at their disposal to be ready for future challenges and, when it comes to beauty, being able to get on with things without having to worry about their skin. When placed against the backdrop of their daily lives (through Trends Analysis and contextual interviews), it was revealed that in fact these women are constantly faced with the unexpected: from running into infamous Manila traffic to the unpredictable weather patterns that affect skin health, to shifting expectations of women at home, school and the workplace and having to keep up or step up at the last minute.
These insights led to the following recommendations: (1) relaunch the new campaign with the strongest product line— anti-aging, (2) evolve “Think + Beautiful” no-compromise messaging to one that taps into the need for control in the midst of the unexpected, (3) optimize the + sign iconography by giving it greater prominence to complement the message of efficacy and control. The result was communications around the idea of “Control More + Look Ageless”.
the impact
During this period, the brand had managed to gain visibility and brand traction in a crowded marketplace. Beauty and skincare products are one of the biggest category advertisers and given its limited budget, this campaign managed to deliver cost efficiencies through a clear message and focused social media strategy. While it remains a challenger brand, this campaign helped reinforce the brand’s imagery as an effective, knowledgable and no-nonsense skincare brand.
