Since its launch, Differin has been at the forefront of acne treatment innovation. However, despite its groundbreaking adapalene formula and proven effectiveness, Differin faces challenges in brand awareness and market penetration among Gen Z. With acne affecting up to 85% of people aged 12-24, there is a significant opportunity to re-establish growth and change the negative business trajectory.
The "Level Up" campaign aims to achieve three key objectives:
- Raise Awareness of Adapalene: Educate Gen Z about the unique benefits of adapalene, the first over-the-counter retinoid for acne in over 30 years.
- Improve Product Perception: Enhance the perception of Differin Gel among young adults aged 16-24.
- Increase Differin Gel Sales: Position Differin Gel as the top choice for acne treatment among young adults, driving significant sales growth.
Gen Z is eager for engaging and relatable acne-care information, but traditional sources often fall flat. The "Level Up" campaign disrupts the norm by integrating acne-care education into the immersive world of gaming. By living where gamers live, Differin aims to make acne treatment an exciting and empowering journey. Our goal is to help young adults confidently tackle acne, build a supportive community, and ultimately, level up their acne-care and their game.
Strategy and Execution for the Differin "Level Up" Campaign
Strategy: Uncovering the White Space
In less than eight weeks, the team went from ideation to in-market. We began by understanding the intersection of acne awareness and the gaming community. Through our NXT Experience Review and id8 innovation approach, we uncovered consumer behaviors and insights from in-store to online and everywhere in between.
Every year, 50 million Americans suffer from acne, with 85% of them aged 12-24; a prime age for gaming. While Acne positivity and acceptance is improving, compared to prior generations, it still has a significant emotional impact for sufferers. Individuals with acne have a 42% higher risk of developing depression, with 60% reporting decreased confidence and 58% feeling lonely.
However, 90% of gen alpha and gen z, those mostly affected by acne, are actively engaging with video games and gaming content. Gaming can be beneficial for mental health. Studies show that 73% of players believe video games improve creativity, and 69% agree that gaming builds problem-solving and teamwork skills.
With 3.4 billion gamers worldwide, projected to reach 4.5 billion by 2030, gaming is a growing space for connectivity and creativity. According to NewZoo, globally, 85% of consumers engage with games, with 80% playing, 64% viewing gaming content, and 35% participating in online communities or creating content.
Differin is revolutionizing acne treatment with its first-of-its-kind “Level Up” campaign, strategically focused on supporting gamers with acne-care education to build confidence and community.
Execution: Making it Real
- Data-Driven Insights: We first looked at the data, consumer behaviors, and opportunities. This data highlighted the significant overlap between young gamers and those affected by acne, providing a clear target audience for our campaign.
- Multi-Platform Partnerships: Differin’s “Level Up” campaign extends across the Twitch ecosystem, bridging the gap between URL and IRL. The campaign also includes playable, gamified ads by Activision Blizzard Media along with supporting media from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, and more. Our vision is to empower gamers with the knowledge and tools they need to confidently manage their skin health while fostering a supportive community. By bridging the gap between URL and IRL, we’re making acne-care education more engaging and accessible, ensuring that gamers can level up both their game and their confidence.
- From URL to IRL at TwitchCon: Differin made a significant presence at TwitchCon in San Diego, engaging thousands of attendees with the Differin Arcade. This interactive space featured events, broadcasts with popular streamers, vintage games, leaderboard challenges, and live giveaways. For those unable to attend, we broadcasted live on Twitch, Instagram, and TikTok, reaching hundreds of thousands of viewers.
- Influencer and Community Engagement: We partnered with gamers and a board certified dermatologist to create educational and entertaining content about their acne-care journeys with Differin. These influencers helped build a community around the campaign. Recent research shows, 77% of engaged gamers reporting increased confidence from participating in gaming communities.
- Gamified Ads and Cross-Platform Support: The multi-platform campaign extended across the Twitch ecosystem and included playable, gamified ads by Activision Blizzard Media. We also leveraged supporting media from Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, and more to ensure comprehensive reach and engagement.
- Unique Aspects: The "Level Up" campaign stands out for its innovative approach to merging acne-care with gaming. By meeting gamers where they are, we created a campaign that was not only effective but also genuinely engaging. This unique strategy helped us achieve our goals and set a new standard for acne-care marketing.
Differin’s “Level Up” Campaign Gains High Scores
The "Level Up" campaign achieved remarkable success in engaging gamers and boosting Differin's brand metrics. Here are the key takeaways and how they met our objectives:
- Successful Multi-Platform Strategy: Utilizing platforms like Twitch, Reddit, YouTube, and Activision Blizzard Media, the campaign drove double-digit brand awareness, garnering over 247 million impressions. This diversified media strategy was crucial in reaching a broad audience, aligning with our objective to raise awareness of adapalene among Gen Z.
- Effective Ecommerce and Paid Media: The campaign achieved a notable 5,800% increase in purchase intent and a 52% increase in conversion rates. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of our targeted ecommerce and paid media efforts, directly contributing to our goal of increasing Differin Gel sales.
- Innovative URL and IRL Activations: Differin’s unique URL activations, such as premiering the first Differin Duo featuring Fortnite icons and the IRL activation at the Differin Arcade at TwitchCon, significantly enhanced engagement and brand visibility.
- Differin Duo on Twitch: 420K video plays, 355K unique viewers, 1.2 million minutes watched, and 11K real-time product views, exceeding Twitch benchmarks by 163%.
- TwitchCon Activation: 8.5 million impressions, 3.4 million added value impressions, and 103K live views per stream, 28% above Twitch benchmarks.
- Streamer and Influencer Impact: Collaborations with influencers significantly boosted Differin’s credibility and reach, resulting in 31 million views. This highlights the power of influencer partnerships in amplifying brand messages and aligns with our goal of raising awareness and improving product perception among young adults.
- Traffic Surge: The campaign led to a 266% increase in website traffic visits on TreatAcne.com and a 182% increase in brand store visits. This surge in traffic indicates strong interest and engagement from the target audience, further supporting our objective to increase Differin Gel sales.
Differin’s “Level Up” campaign exemplifies how targeted, innovative strategies can drive significant growth and engagement across new areas. By leveraging the power of the gaming community and integrating acne-care education into their world, Differin successfully connected with a key demographic, driving both awareness and sales.
Video for URL to IRL: Differin 'Levels Up' Acne-Care Education for Gamers, Building Confidence & Community
