Differin: PR + Digital Brand building
The situation in PR:
Establish brand awareness and educate on the first new active ingredient to hit the acne aisle in 30 years, as Differin Gel switched from Rx to OTC in a crowded category. Our client charged Lippe Taylor to do three things:
“Make Differin Famous” – It had almost no brand awareness.
Educate On Breakthrough Ingredient – First new active ingredient to hit the acne aisle in 30 years.
Help Drive it to #1 – Our client had a lofty goal – that Differin Gel should become the #1 acne SKU at retail by the end of its first year.
The idea and execution:
Positioned Differin Gel as a category game-changer; robust earned media, influencer, HCP endorsements, and 1,500+ consumer reviews. Introducing the Acne Game Changer -- We started by positioning Differin as a “game changer” for the acne category. This single-minded focus was our north star that carried through all communications, from press releases to launch events to spokespeople and influencers. Ultimately, we even got refinery29 to say it in a headline. Then, we licensed that quote and all the brand’s agencies, and we used it as the centerpiece across all branded elements – from digital banner ads to the brand’s website.
The results:
2.1 billion earned media impressions
297 media placements
#1 acne SKU in just ten months
over 10 beauty awards
The situation in social media:
Lippe Taylor was challenged with driving the trial of Differin Gel as it launched on social media, inspiring users to try, love, and share Differin products. In a crowded category with brands that have spent years building up their followings and engagements our creative needed to stand out and deliver ROI.
The idea and execution:
Through in-depth social listening, we found that Differin had a unique opportunity to add value to the social feeds through three content pillars:
EDUCATION. We wanted to educate how our product worked, being that Differin was the first retinoid available over the counter. And our education came through in our community management, as we connected directly with consumers to encourage them to stick with the process that comes with a product like Differin Gel.
CONNECTION. This content pillar was focused on identifying our target’s struggles and letting her know Differin is here to help. This pillar allowed us to be relatable to understand the “too real” moments and also connect with cultural subjects and interests that relate well to the audience and create meaningful content.
EMPOWERMENT. We got to show the actual results of our product. We encouraged her to share her journey by highlighting results with real people and influencers. In addition, we used this pillar also to create stories of what life is like when you are living with a fresh face again.
The results:
114 total in-feed social posts
4.97% average Instagram engagement rate
243,295 total impressions (organic)
16,074 total engagements (organic)
3,732 new followers
Mixed-media modeling proved that organic social drove ROI for Differin