Dermalogica Case Study
Challenge:
Dermalogica Skincare was launched and developed in the US by English beauty consultant and businesswoman Jane Martin-Wurwand, and has a presence in the UK, Australia, South Africa and South East Asia. Dermalogica had been the UK’s best kept beauty secret until Kinross + Render approached them to undertake a programme to raise their profile and so raise sales.
Dermalogica products were only available through registered Dermalogica therapists, and not available to buy over the counter. Any media profile therefore needed to get consumers to work a bit harder to obtain product:
- To raise awareness of Dermalogica as the premium skincare range in the UK
- To help increase calls to the Dermalogica hotline
- To emphasize Dermalogica’s skincare credentials: not tested on animals, unscented, natural ingredients, and in the vanguard on skincare trends
Strategy:
Position Dermalogica as the ‘experts expert’ – equipping beauty editors with the means to reinforce their expertise to their readers. Consultants from Dermalogica’s training arm, The International Dermal Institute, were drafted in for this purpose.
Be the first to champion transparency in skincare and cosmetics ingredients listing.
Utilize the Leonard Drake Centre, Dermalogica’s only owned salon, to showcase new treatments to media and celebrities.
Become indispensable to the media through efficient sampling, news alerts, and unlimited access to experts
Tactics:
Launched a series of quarterly skincare trends seminars for beauty editors, held at IPC Media, with the first one hosted by Jane Martin-Wurwand. Each seminar flagged new ingredients and treatments, and complemented each one by launching relevant new Dermalogica products:
- Devised, produced and promoted the first Handbook of skincare ingredients for the media
- Invited media and celebrities to sample the latest treatments at Leonard Drake
- Invited media to attend the International Dermal Institute classes on treatments and techniques
- Trained three IDI therapists as media spokeswomen
Results:
From a standing start, Dermalogica achieved 40 pieces of coverage in national dailies and women’s magazines in. year one, which increased by a further 64% in year two
International Dermal Institute consultants are now the resident ‘experts’ in consumer press beauty features, including Marie Claire, She and InStyle.
Sales of Dermalogica rocketed as calls to the hotline increased by over 400%
