Cetaphil marketing initiatives captivate growing US men's skin care market

As reported by consumer market research firm Stratis Research, "the global men's skin care products market size was valued at $12.981 bn in 2022," and "is expected to reach $19.278 bn, growing at a CAGR of 4.5% during the forecast period (2023–2031)." With industry leaders exploring new ways to cater to this expanding demographic, Cetaphil is launching a fresh campaign targeting male consumers.

In an exclusive interview with Cosmetics Design, Tara Loftis, Global President of Skincare at Galderma, shared the inspiration behind Cetaphil's latest venture, the development process of their innovative "Ceta Six-Pack" concept, and the strategic insights drawn from past successes. She provided insights into how Cetaphil is capitalizing on the rising demand for men's skin care sets, the role of gender-neutral packaging in appealing to male consumers, and the thoughtful selection of influencers to foster a sense of camaraderie among skin care enthusiasts.

Responding to market demand

Cetaphil was motivated to expand its targeted marketing efforts into the men's skin care sector after receiving feedback from many of its dermatologist partners and friendlies at recent dermatology conferences and outings that "men are increasingly visiting dermatologist offices for advice on their skin care," Loftis shared. Further motivation for the expansion stemmed from "a recent viral TikTok post of an interview with NFL rookie Xavier Legette where he mentions Cetaphil," she added, which inspired the brand "to develop a men's campaign that celebrates men who love skin care."

The resulting concept is the "Ceta Six-Pack" and CetaGrill video marketing initiatives, for which "our goal was to use humor as a way to resonate with men, while seamlessly integrating skin care into the depiction of their daily routines," said Loftis. For example, she illustrated, "instead of some cold ones, which are ritually brought over to a buddy's house, this six-pack is filled with skin care and serves as a comedic motivator for men to open up about grooming."

In creating the recent campaigns, Cetaphil drew from insights learned from the brand's recent Super Bowl ad campaign, which focused on the relationship between fathers and daughters.  "The importance of an insight was validated with the Super Bowl campaign and is something we continue to carry through in all campaigns in order to ensure emotionally connecting with the consumer is priority," said Loftis, who added that "for Game Time Glow, it was about the universal truth behind the 'Taylor Swift' effect and how dads were connecting with their daughters in an unprecedented way."

Moving into the most recent campaign, "it's based on the insight that millions of men engage in skin care and grooming rituals—used to boost their confidence—but as their usage grows, so does their desire to keep it a secret," Loftis revealed. "We sought to flip that on its head," she explained, "with videos that encourage men to talk more openly about skin care."

Influencer partnerships and consumer engagement

Cetaphil's recent marketing initiatives have targeted the rising demand for men's skin care sets, driven by "men caring more about their skin than they ever have before," Loftis shared. "As a brand that uniquely over-indexes with men in our category," she added, "Cetaphil has seen a significant increase in men incorporating our products into their skin care routines."

She also continued, "Dermatologists have reported an unprecedented number of men visiting their offices with specific questions about skin care and seeking recommendations on brands and products to use," further driving the market sector. "While we haven't developed a specific men's skin care set just yet," she conceded, "our products – including the six featured in the Ceta Six-Pack are all gender neutral, easy to use, and can easily be paired together to create the perfect men's skin care routine."

The brand's iconic packaging also ties into the recent marketing initiatives, as "our gender-neutral packaging projects a modern and inclusive image, appealing to a wide audience, including some men who might shy away from overly decorative packaging."

Recently, the brand also "updated our packaging to reflect a more minimalist design, aiming to educate about product use and benefits, emphasizing the quality and efficacy of Cetaphil products above all," she said, and "consumers will begin to see that new packaging at shelf in the coming months."

In planning and executing the most recent campaigns, Cetaphil strove to select "influencer partners to represent every man – from football rookie Xavier Legette to MMA fighter DJ Walton to The Real Dads of NY – all of whom are sharing their skin care routines to foster camaraderie among skin care-loving men," Loftis shared. In particular, the brand was really excited by the organic mention from Xavier and knew immediately that we had to reach out to him and get him on board," she explained, and "also expanded the relationship with Xavier beyond that of a typical influencer asset to include additional content of him interviewing other men, man on the street style, about their skin care routines."

Additionally, the new CetaGrill campaign includes a sweepstakes to encourage further consumer engagement, wherein a participant will win a grill and will also receive "a year's worth of Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and Moisturizing Lotion, so their skin will be cleansed and moisturized for another full year," Loftis said. As a marketing incentive, she added, "those entering to win the sweepstakes were given the option to sign up for the Cetaphil newsletter to receive a $4 off coupon toward their next skin care purchase and many did – we look forward to welcoming these new members with additional skin care education and innovation."

Future directions for Cetaphil

Looking ahead, Loftis said the company's "long-term goal is continuing to ensure men are present in our campaigns and actively considered when we're developing our marketing efforts," and "echoes of this" will become more prevalent "as we move forward in our new overarching creative strategy."

Cetaphil's strategies for male consumer engagement in the skin care sector will continue to evolve as the market shifts. Knowing that "men are just as interested in their skin care routines as women," Loftis explained, "we expect that men will become increasingly educated about their skin health and how to improve it," and "both men and women will continue to expect efficacious products that provide tangible results for their skin."