For decades, Neutrogena dominated the U.S. skincare market—anchored in dermatologist-backed efficacy, aspirational campaigns, and global appeal. As an iconic skincare brand, it was the go-to choice for consumers seeking efficacy and accessibility. However, the tide began to shift as newer brands like CeraVe rapidly gained ground, capturing the attention of “zillennials” (aged 18-35) through influencer-driven marketing, relatable content, and viral cultural moments.

Neutrogena, once synonymous with skincare excellence, faced the challenge of reclaiming its position. The brand needed to reconnect with its target audience in a way that was authentic, relevant, and meaningful.

Our objective was clear: to reinvigorate Neutrogena’s relevance with zillennials by embedding the brand into a culturally charged, high-impact moment—one that would spark brand salience, strengthen emotional connection, and reaffirm Neutrogena’s standing as the trusted, high-performance choice in skincare.

We identified a prime opportunity in the 2024 Summer Olympics — a global stage with unparalleled reach and a spirit of high performance. Partnering with Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Neutrogena’s new ambassador and the face of the 2024 Olympics, we aligned the brand with her status as a role model and generational athlete, reflecting Neutrogena’s focus on performance and reliability.

Powered by our data-driven content team, we embraced a universal insight: while viral trends capture attention, when it comes to skincare, consumers consistently turn to the tried-and-true classics. The campaign featured Sydney in a highly relatable moment as she packed for her upcoming trip to Paris, thoughtfully selecting products she trusts — Neutrogena’s skincare essentials.

The message was clear: Neutrogena delivers consistent performance, not fleeting trends. This narrative allowed us to showcase the breadth of Neutrogena’s product portfolio in one cohesive moment, reaffirming why the brand remains the go-to choice for skincare enthusiasts.

Guided by our proprietary brand-out creative model and aligned with the principles of the Science of Brand Growth (SOBG), we ensured that the campaign was built to drive impact:

– Enhancing relevance and popularity: Targeted toward younger consumers.

– Leveraging Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s Olympic presence: Tying the campaign to the 2024 Olympics to elevate the brand’s association with performance.

– Executing Distinct Brand Assets (DBAs): Consistent use of brand elements to drive recall.

– Cognitive fluency: Ensuring the message was simple and easy to process.

– Popularity signals: Harnessing the global reach of the Olympics to signal brand strength.

– System 1 thinking: Creating a campaign that resonates emotionally and intuitively with consumers.

The campaign was showcased across multiple touchpoints, including 30-second TV commercials aired on NBC during the 2024 Olympics, complemented by 15-second digital and social media ads, as well as TikTok executions. This multi-platform approach ensured maximum engagement and brand visibility, driving awareness and fostering deep connections with the target audience.

Results:

Objective 1: Authentically tap into a culturally relevant moment

–       Olympics = cultural tentpole: The 2024 Summer Games reached a record 30.7M average daily viewers (+82% vs. Tokyo) and 112B total minutes viewed, far surpassing Netflix (66B), proving massive cultural penetration

–       Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s relevance amplified cut-through: Her Instagram following grew +38.7% during the Games, placing her in the Top 3% of creators — showing high audience engagement with her content and by extension, with Neutrogena’s brand message

Objective 2: Reconnect with zillennial consumers (18-35) in a meaningful way

Digital reach hit zillennials where they are:

–       Over 900M+ total digital impressions across YouTube, Meta, Pinterest.

–       Majority of digital reach was among 25-44 year-olds, skewing younger for male audiences.

–       TikTok-style creative and Sydney’s relatable narrative helped bridge clinical credibility with lifestyle relevance.

Positive sentiment and brand engagement:

–       All comments on Sydney’s Olympics-related IG posts and related Neutrogena content during the campaign were positive in sentiment.

–       Neutrogena saw measurable increases in Net Buzz, Net Recommendations, and Net Consideration among Summer Games viewers (YouGov), indicating a rise in mental availability and favourability among the target group

Objective 3: Reassert Neutrogena’s strength in science-backed skincare

–       Hero product performance validates trust:

(i)            Hydro Boost grew in market share from 6.0% in Q2 to 6.4% in Q3, indicating renewed relevance post-campaign.

(ii)          Neutrogena Sport (Active Defense) outpaced competitors in the sun care category with a +1.7pt increase in market share, showcasing efficacy-led product growth during the campaign windo