How CeraVe won over Gen Z

CeraVe is kind of like the ugly duckling of dermo-cosmetics.

The brand has gone from unassuming drug store staple to the #1 Gen Z skincare brand in America. So its journey from virtually unknown to cult favourite is impressive, to say the least.

Particularly because it's competing with all the 'prettier' ducklings like Glossier, Drunk Elephant, and Kylie Cosmetics.

So how did this underdog make it to #1?

The brand launched in 2005 with only three SKUs. And instead of focusing on celebrity endorsements or flashy marketing campaigns, the team at CeraVe chose to build relationships with dermatologists, knowing that was the space they could dominate.

This was a purposeful, slow build from the brand. And this strategy created a foundation based on the efficacy of their products as opposed to appealing to impulse buyers.

The brand continued to quietly serve in the dermatology space until 2020.

Enter the pandemic, a time when we had waaay too much time to look at our pores in the mirror.

Lockdown saw a boom in skincare sales as we leaned into self-care and away from harmful products. And as medical appointments moved online, dermatologists began posting their recommendations online to new-found audiences.

This created a perfect storm for CeraVe, which experienced a wave of organic mentions during this time.

All of this buzz worked as a catalyst for CeraVe to finally make some noise on platforms they had previously been quiet on. And so began their 'era of social media advocacy,' as Tom Allison, co-founder, describes.

But CeraVe had to switch up their approach to build their brand on social.

As a more serious, educational brand, CeraVe had to learn to become more fun in their marketing style to appeal to the younger demographic. The challenge was doing so without losing their integrity as a brand.

So how did they do this? By leveraging young, trending skincare creators.

'We need the dermatologist content, that’s at the core of everything we do. But, to support that, there’s plenty of opportunities that are more playful, and less about brand messaging. That matters to Gen Z,' Allen Ortega, the brand's Global Senior Manager of Advocacy, Content and E-commerce, told Vogue.

By leveraging these young creators, CeraVe reached new audiences, which was vital to their growth on social media.

Then came the Michael Cera campaign.

Like I said, CereVe's quite a serious brand, so they were initially hesitant to use TikTok micro-influencers.

Which makes this campaign even crazier.

Here’s what they did: CeraVe worked with over 450 influencers to create a narrative about a possible link between actor Michael Cera and the skincare company. During this phase of the campaign, brand leveraged influencers' ability to 'spill tea' and spark speculation.

The carefully planned campaign included strange public appearances of Cera. The brand had influencers speculate about those sightings, heightening rumours that he was connected to the brand.

The outrageous campaign culminated in a Super Bowl commercial featuring Cera.

Created in collaboration with Ogilvy, CeraVe planned one of the most creative Super Bowl campaigns I’ve ever seen, originating from internet speculation that linked Michael Cera’s name with CeraVe.

Michael is notoriously low-profile when it comes to social media. So when he was 'spotted' in NYC signing CeraVe bottles, carrying huge bags of the product, and even handing some out to pedestrians, the world was shocked.

He was then a guest on Bobbi Althoff’s podcast, where she accused him of being involved with the company. His response was that she should 'look at the name' and that he had 'some skin in the game.' Of course, this generated even more publicity for the brand.

This went on for weeks before finally reaching a head.

During the Super Bowl, the brand ran an outrageous 30-second commercial featuring Cera. The ad features a satirical, over-the-top performance from Cera and ends in him pitching an ad idea to a team of dermatologists.

SO GOOD.

I mean, if you’re going to spend $7 million on a Super Bowl commercial, you’d better make it worth it.

But the real genius behind this ad was the micro-campaigns that led up to an epic conclusion.

Using an unexpected but well-loved celebrity showed that CeraVe understood their audience enough to create an unhinged approach they would love.

And THAT, my friends, is how you climb your way up to crowd favourite.

Let’s recap on how CereVe did it:

• Building strong foundations. CeraVe's epic rise to prominence stemmed from its strategic decision to build relationships with dermatologists and focus on product efficacy first. The brand built credibility before expanding its reach.

• Utilising organic growth. The pandemic acted as a catalyst for CeraVe’s growth and helped them gain visibility among new audiences.

• Pivoting their approach. To appeal to a younger audience, CeraVe adapted their strategy to be more playful and engaging. This eventuated in the epic ‘Michael CeraVe’ campaign.

The crux of their transformation from ugly duckling to beautiful swan is that CeraVe understood their audience at all points of their brand journey. If you listen to what your consumer wants, you can craft a brand message that resonates.

-Sophie, Writer