Cetaphil Finds Its Place in the Pandemic
Cetaphil, the drugstore skincare brand (that you probably thought you were pronouncing correctly until you saw a commercial), has always focused on supporting those with sensitive skin. It’s always been a staple in my house growing up. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the skincare industry has had opportunities to shine through increased focus on self care, and Cetaphil has started to take advantage.
Before the end of April 2020, Cetaphil’s Instagram page was a virtual ghost town. Only posting about once a month, the company quickly saw the need to improve its digital strategy as the world went digital. By the end of April, Cetaphil increased its posts to a few times a week. They even hosted an Instagram Live event with a dermatologist and founder of a makeup brand to talk about how to deal with “maskne” (you know, all the lovely pimples that have been popping up on your chin from your mask).
On Facebook, while most posts focus on Cetaphil products and their features, occasionally the captions are about hand washing routines, or how to take care of your face while wearing a mask. The company has been very active on Facebook and seems to be very responsive to comments on their posts.
Cetaphil’s main COVID-related activity is an initiative called “In Good Hands,” in which they started producing hand sanitizer and supporting frontline workers through the distribution of their products and PPE to hospitals around the world. The initiative also focuses on education by increasing conversation about effective hand hygiene.
It’s great that a big brand like Cetaphil decided to step up and do their part, but they could’ve been more vocal about it on their social media. This is true especially now, when shoppers find it increasingly important for a brand to stand for a cause.
What surprised me about Cetaphil’s online presence is its lack of a Twitter account. This pandemic has stressed the importance of building online community more than ever, a trend I think will continue beyond COVID-19, and Twitter is a great way to communicate directly with your fans.
While Cetaphil upped its digital strategy and increased its presence, the brand will need to work even harder to create a relationship with their consumers, and make great initiatives like “In Good Hands,” really clear. The ability to connect with their consumers online is important, especially when brands like Cerave are becoming popular through TikTok. Cetaphil is off to a good start, but it’s time for the company to do even more to really stand out.
