Cetaphil's new digital campaign, "Made For Phil," encourages men to openly embrace skin care. The brand, a dominant player in the derm-forward skin care space, is speaking to men with humor, highlighting "Ceta Six Pack" and "CetaGrill" concepts that position skin care as a practical element of everyday life. The brand has reinforced its messaging with partnerships with personalities like football rookie Xavier Legette, DJ Walton and The Real Dads of NY, all of whom have shared their skin care routines. To learn more about the changing men's skin care space and Cetaphil's strategy, Global Cosmetic Industry spoke with Tara Loftis, global president of skin care, Galderma.
What Do Men Want from Skin Care?
"Men seek various key benefits from their skin care routines–just as women do–that can range from improving their overall appearance, maintaining their skin health or indulging in self-care," says Loftis.
She adds, "At recent dermatology conferences and outings, we’ve received feedback from many of our dermatologist partners and friendlies that men are increasingly visiting dermatologist offices for advice on their skin care."
Building Skin Care Messaging that Speaks Directly to Men
"Coupled with a recent viral TikTok post of an interview with NFL rookie Xavier Legette where he mentions Cetaphil, we were inspired to develop a men’s campaign that celebrates men who love skin care," says Loftis. "We’re now partnering with Xavier, who became known as 'Big Cetaphil Guy' on TikTok, among other influencers, to share their skin care routines to foster camaraderie among skin-care-loving men."
This represents a pivot from traditional skin care marketing, she says, which typically focuses on women. This approach leverages humor as a gateway to more meaningful education.
"We like to blend education with humor," Loftis notes. "In this case, we’re hoping to use wit to connect with our audience and capture their interest before diving into more in-depth educational content."
She notes, "With the Ceta 6 Pack and CetaGrill videos, 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. For example, 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 celebrate grooming."
Still, true to Cetaphil's dermatological roots, experts are part of the communication mix.
Loftis explains, "Our #MadeForPhil organic social content also featured a blend of humor and education, ranging from dad jokes to skin care tips for men from a board-certified dermatologist, Dr. Karan Lal [DO, FAAD]."
Men's Skin Care Growth Trajectory
Cetaphil's focus on men is in line with growth projections for the market. "U.S. men’s skin care is predicted to record a 3% CAGR from 2023 to 2028," per Euromonitor, "outpacing overall men’s grooming with just under a 2% CAGR."
The firm added, "While growth drivers may vary across different markets, the United States closely follows Asia’s footsteps in normalizing male usage of beauty and personal care products beyond traditional grooming categories such as shaving and hair care."
Cetaphil: Dermatologist-backed Skin Care on the Rise
"We’re more committed than ever to delivering cutting-edge products for sensitive skin," says Galderma's Tara Loftis, "researching carefully and working closely with healthcare professionals to better understand people’s skin needs, and to advance dermatological care for every skin story."
"We want our consumers to make smart, informed choices—and to be confident in their skin’s health," says Loftis. "We’re more committed than ever to delivering cutting-edge products for sensitive skin, researching carefully and working closely with healthcare professionals to better understand people’s skin needs, and to advance dermatological care for every skin story."
She notes, "From its inception, Cetaphil was rooted in a dermatologist heritage, as the first product was created by a San Antonio, Texas-based pharmacist specifically for dermatologists over 75 years ago."
Experts continue to be central to the brand's innovation.
"Today, all Cetaphil formulas are tested by dermatologists and dermatologists can also be involved in the efficacy and/or safety testing of the products during the clinical study process," Loftis says. "Most often, dermatologists are involved in grading the products efficacy/tolerability parameters or reviewing the tolerability data for safety evaluation."
She adds, "Each year, we collaborate with a diverse group of healthcare professionals to educate our consumers through various media channels, social platforms, and more. We put dermatologists at the forefront of our efforts. With the help of leading skin care experts, we aim to continue developing innovative skin care technologies for sensitive skin that help restore, protect and maintain skin’s health every day."
Cetaphil's Gen Z, Millennial Engagement, Ulta & Walmart Success
In its latest reporting period, Ulta Beauty's CEO, Dave Kimbell, noted, "Skin care was our fastest growing category, delivering double-digit comp growth."
Top category performers included dermatologist-recommended brands like La Roche-Posay, Dermalogica and Cetaphil.
"Cetaphil grew +50% last year," says Loftis, "and continues to show great momentum."
She adds, "We’re really pleased with the growth we’ve seen at Ulta, which we think is largely driven by social media and Ulta’s strategic positioning as a top beauty destination for millennials and Gen Z."
Ulta isn't the only growth driver at retail.
"The brand has performed particularly well at Walmart as well," says Loftis, which has seen an influx of higher-income shoppers seeking trusted, efficacious skin care. This men’s campaign positions Cetaphil as something men would pick up at Walmart at the same time they’re shopping for a six pack of cold ones for a Sunday afternoon with their friends."
