EltaMD has always had the potential to be one of the great brands: The brand has been around since 2007 (although it originally started as a wound care company in 1988) and its products are sold at retailers such as Dermstore and Bluemercury. Prices peak around $60 for face serums, though most hover around $30. The formulas are simple yet effective and highly recommended by many dermatologists. But with its simple packaging, EltaMD is not something kids might call #aesthetic.
Echo Sandburg, brand director of CP Skin Health and EltaMD said: “As a professional skin care brand with a deep medical heritage born of wound healing, their brand personality. I’m not flashy or trendy.” “EltaMD, has long been one of the best-kept skincare secrets – and it shouldn’t be.”
That seems to be changing. Over the past two years, the brand has seen unprecedented growth from an unexpected source: TikTok. Unlike Instagram’s overly curated grids, content on TikTok can be a bit rough in the corners; it’s not uncommon to see a creator standing in front of a colorful “green screen” backdrop, holding a two-inch microphone as they ponder their chosen topic. In other words: All brands, flashy or not, start with a relatively level playing field and equal opportunities to innovate.
Sandburg said the general uptick in skincare content amid the pandemic has also contributed to the brand’s renewed popularity. Before the brand even established its own account, posts about EltaMD products began to appear spontaneously. She added: “We are also starting to see skin experts using TikTok to provide the trusted information users are looking for.
Join the “dermfluencer”: out-of-hours dermatologists as content creators, recommend products, react to skincare videos, debunk myths and break down trends for their thousands of followers. Sandburg notes: “A positive byproduct from COVID is that skin health conversations are extended outside the office,” notes Sandburg, calling on dermatologists. Dr. Dustin Portela and Dr. Muneeb Shahespecially.
EltaMD started working with some of these professionals to build on their credibility — and scale. “Meeting people where they are and playing in this space just makes sense for us,” says Sandburg. “TikTok is a unique channel and since it’s new to us our strategy is to start by partnering with DOLs or digital opinion leaders who have found their groove. them in this platform.”
The brand also enjoyed success with classics, like GRWM (meaning “get ready with me”) and transport videos, which resulted in a spike in both website traffic and sales. In the end, it had no choice but to jump in with an official presence. She said: “At the end of 2021, we had the move to officially open an EltaMD brand account. The brand’s following is modest — just under 70,000 — but its reach is much larger; hashtag #eltamd has 40 million views, while #eltamdsunscreen alone has nearly 6 million views.
Part of that success can be directly attributed to hailey beiber Effect. Supermodel and Rhodes the founder used EltaMD UV Daily Tinted Broad Spectrum SPF 40 in one skin prep video in February and the clip went on to hit 25 million views. The product – already a bestseller – has become a hit.
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“UV Daily Tinted has seen an increase in sales, sustained growth throughout the year,” Sandburg said. The product’s success also translates off the platform. “We’ve seen the search term ‘EltaMD tinted sunscreen’ emerge as a breakout topic on Google Trends, growing more than 5,000% in searches last year,” she notes.
Bieber isn’t the only celebrity praising EltaMD. Everyone from Gen-Z fave Addison Rae to the real former housewife Bethenny Frankel (who recently became a beauty influencer) also gave a shout out about the brand, showing just how massive its audience and appeal is.
For EltaMD, part of TikTok’s appeal – beyond selling the product – is spreading information about sun protection in an accessible way. “We know that the vast majority of Americans don’t wear sunscreen regularly,” says Sandburg. “So we’re happy that celebrities are using their platforms to help people create healthy habits.”
When it came time for EltaMD to launch a new SKU in its sunscreen line-up, social platforms were an important part of the company’s marketing strategy. “UV Sheer Broad Spectrum SPF 50+ is an example of a fast-acting sunscreen,” says Sandburg. Typical case: A video with Dr. Shah recommending it has garnered more than 4 million views.
While sunscreen tends to be a consumer’s first point of contact with EltaMD, TikTok has also provided an opportunity for the brand to share more about the rest of its products. “The fastest growing part of our SPF-free lineup is Skin Recovery System“, says Sandburg. “This system contains a patented technology called AAComplex that helps repair and strengthen your skin’s barrier.”
No one is more pleased – or less surprised – to see the brand succeed than derms. Because Dr. Mona Gohara, and is also a member of the EltaMD advisory board, recommending this brand is unquestionable. “I have been using EltaMD for many years – almost 20 years – and recommend it daily to my patients of all different ethnicities,” she says, though she admits, “There are probably more people now come ask me about it more since then.” [it has] a larger social media presence.” In her own routine, she uses UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46“because it’s great for all skin types and conditions, especially those with acne or rosacea,” and is also a fan of reducing puffiness Refreshing eye gel.
Whatever the product, EltaMD’s success is a reminder that performance is always the strongest selling point in any digital marketing strategy. Dermfluencers and Hailey Bieber just helped with the spread.
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