Marcelle 10% Vitamin C + Probiotic Serum Launch

Marcelle, a leading Canadian skincare and beauty brand, was launching an innovative product called 10% Vitamin C + Probiotic Serum, the first-ever serum in its product portfolio. With a limited budget, Marcelle commissioned our team to generate widespread media and influencer coverage to help the serum shine in a crowded sea of competitors.

Groupe Marcelle Inc. (GMI), parent company of the Marcelle brand, is Canada’s largest cosmetics manufacturer. Marcelle is recognized within the GMI family as the clean Canadian beauty brand safe for all skin types, even the most sensitive.

Marcelle was eager to advance awareness of its highly effective, simple and clean products, and the launch of Marcelle’s 10% Vitamin C + Probiotic Serum was an exciting innovation. SO’s strategic solution to making good news was to take an honest and informative approach, leveraging brand research indicating Canadian consumers want easy-to-follow skincare dos and don’ts, how-to’s, and ingredient stories to help them make quick, easy and informed decisions about their skin health and wellbeing.

“Cs” the Day! 

Marcelle’s new 10% Vitamin C + Probiotic Serum was entering a crowded marketplace. We had to build awareness that would encourage skincare lovers to try the new serum while staying true to the brand personality of being trustworthy and accessible.

These were our goals:

• Profile the product benefits, proven results and beneficial ingredients of the Marcelle 10% Vitamin C + Probiotic Serum and highlight its certification from the Canadian Dermatology Association.
• Educate consumers on the benefits of Vitamin C in skincare and how to best incorporate this powerful antioxidant into skincare regimes.
• Establish credible, authentic and trusted third-party recommendations that enhance the Marcelle brand and propel product awareness, encouraging trial and sales.

Starting a #Skinversation

Marcelle’s proprietary research shows that Vitamin C is considered the most popular and desired “hero ingredient” in skincare. However, we also discovered very few consumers know the actual reasons why, or how to use it to maximum effect. We therefore positioned Marcelle as a skincare ally with honest, open conversation rooted in science and proven results. This would differentiate the brand, demystify the product, and promote Marcelle’s simple, safe and clean qualities. 

Our solution was to start a #Skinversation – a year-long series sharing easy-to-digest skincare tips and tricks. The first chapter, Vitamin C 101, helped consumers understand how to protect their skin’s barrier and keep their complexions glowing. Free of industry buzzwords and trends that leave many of us confused, the #Skinversation allowed Marcelle to get real about beauty routines with clean, transparent, trustworthy, and accessible skincare information.

Media Mailer Program

To spark the #Skinversation, Strategic Objectives developed and produced an engaging, informative and Instagrammable unboxing experience for beauty and lifestyle media and influencers. These beautiful, bespoke mailers presented an educational experience, and were designed to encourage recipients to explore the all-new serum and learn why it’s an essential step in any effective morning skincare routine. The mailer aligned with the campaign aesthetic and included everything you need for a simple morning routine – a full-size bottle of the newest serum, a trendy skincare headband and a sunrise lamp – and generated organic shares, positive testimonials, tremendous coverage, and consumer response as evidenced through participation in the #Skinversation and by product sales.

Paid Influencer Program

We also tapped into our annual roster of macro influencers as part of the #MarcelleMavens, a carefully selected group of paid Influencers we engaged to promote brand news. This complemented our earned media program with ambassador content that fostered engaging, informative conversations and shared the exciting launch of Marcelle’s 10% Vitamin C + Probiotic Serum.

Does your brand need help cutting through the clutter? Are you looking for fresh thinking and modern storytelling that gets results? Please contact us to see if we might collaborate on award-winning campaigns in the future. We can’t wait to get started!