Dermatologyrevolutionized

It’s no secret that when it comes to skincare the RX selection is not accessible to the average consumer; democracy in "brand choice” rarely exists. So we positioned this new platform to democratize the power dynamic that currently exists, helping consumers feel more involved in their skin treatment and unlocking a whole new level of products.

With a revolution of the scale, challenges were inevitable. The main one we faced was around conditioning consumers to a new “shopping” behaviour that is unconventional in a typical e-commerce environment. Dermatology.com behaved like a “marketplace”, but visitors couldn't simply purchase, instead they needed to request and the final product recommendation was determined after the consumer is guided into a virtual consultation hosted by an unbiased third-party per FDA requirements.

This “digital arm’s length” created an unusual interruption in the user experience (imagine a store from which, in order to check out, you need to go to another store and get permission first). To offset that, we focused on creating a branding pull unexpected from the typical codes of the category.

For the launch, we zeroed in on 35+ affluent women, as they were already willing to invest into premium skin treatments and were actively seeking “better solutions”. Where most of DTC competition tries to downplay the RX offering through the lens of lifestyle familiarity and colorful accessibility, we overtly demonstrated our futuristic tone, anchoring it in science and innovation.

Our media strategy focused on creating awareness and fostering trust. We created more perceived value with educational content linking common skin problems like adult acne to a variety of branded solutions and how they differ from their generic counterparts. We placed educational editorials in prime publications such as Harper Bazaar to generate chatter and spread the word.

For now, all efforts on Dermatology.com have come to a halt. After receiving resistant feedback from Dermatologists who felt that their authority could be threatened with such democratized intentions, Bausch Health made the decision to pull the plug in respect for the medical community. Although it was a true disruption for the category, the platform did not intend to overstep but to empower patients and dermatologists alike, and potentially be a flagship for the profession itself.