Case study · Beauty & Dermatology
Immersive Activations Push a Clinical Brand to the Top of Its Category
Three high-impact experiences in five weeks modernized eltaMD's approach to media and events, growing its share of voice from 10.3% to 25% year over year and moving the brand to the number-one position in its competitive set.
10.3% → 25%
YoY share of voice, #1 in set
144 → 267
Brand editorial mentions
Overview
The brief from eltaMD
eltaMD has one of the strongest reputations among dermatologists in skincare, but its clinical trust hasn't translated into share of voice. Heading into its third year, owning moments like AAD and National Dermatologist Day, the brand needed a partner willing to challenge a formulaic approach to media, KOLs, and events, without losing the clinical credibility that built the brand in the first place.
What Communications Problem Did eltaMD Need to Solve?
eltaMD needed its clinical reputation among dermatologists to translate into greater share of voice heading into its third year of owning moments like AAD and National Dermatologist Day. eltaMD has one of the strongest reputations among dermatologists in skincare, but that clinical trust had not translated into broader share of voice, and competitors were capturing more coverage with less brand equity.
5WPR spent its first ninety days auditing which messages and coverage had gone stale. eltaMD's programming had become predictable, and the brand's biggest annual moments were being executed the same way for two years running.
Objective
eltaMD partnered with 5WPR to modernize its approach to media and events without losing its clinical credibility.
The program pursued three goals:
- Challenge a formulaic approach to media, key opinion leaders, and events.
- Give editors, key opinion leaders, and consumers a way to experience eltaMD's science outside a clinical setting.
- Grow share of voice in a competitive set where eltaMD's reputation had not translated into coverage.
How Did 5WPR Modernize eltaMD's Media Approach?
Clinical credibility earns trust. Culture earns coverage. eltaMD did not need to prove its science, since dermatologists already trusted the brand. It needed editors, key opinion leaders, and consumers to experience that science outside a clinical setting.
5WPR built three activations in five weeks designed to put eltaMD's research in front of media in a format worth covering, without ever compromising the brand's dermatological authority.
How 5W ran the program
Strategy
5WPR organized the program across three activations.
- An immersive lab visit brought 11 top-tier editors into the Colgate-Palmolive Research Center for a behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming UV Clear SPF 50 launch, complete with hands-on demos, achieving 100% attendance and producing immediate exclusives in WWD, Cosmopolitan, and NewBeauty.
- A National Dermatologist Day event replaced a luncheon with a streamlined NYSE Closing Bell reception featuring a Getty photographer and an outside-the-exchange social activation, drawing 91 attendees, 145 social posts, and 3.8 million-plus impressions.
- An AAD kickoff concept called "Apres Sun" traded the ballroom for lifestyle storytelling, blending dermatological credibility with lifestyle programming, drawing 210-plus attendees including Dr. Pimple Popper, Neera Nathan, and Dustin Portela.
Which Media Outlets Covered eltaMD?
5WPR campaign reporting identified coverage in WWD, Cosmopolitan, The TODAY Show (twice in Q1), NewBeauty, Dermatology Times, BeautyMatter, Byrdie, and Daily Mail.
Results
10.3% → 25% yoy share of voice, #1 in set · 144 → 267 brand editorial mentions
5WPR campaign reporting recorded eltaMD's share of voice growing from 10.3% to 25% year over year, moving the brand to the number-one position in its competitive set. Brand editorial mentions grew from 144 to 267.
The AAD "Apres Sun" event became eltaMD's most attended AAD event ever, generating 675,000-plus social impressions. National Dermatologist Day social mentions grew from 1,257 in March 2025 to 2,713 in March 2026, a 116% increase.
Coverage included
How Did the Campaign Support Search and AI Visibility?
Publisher coverage connected eltaMD with its UV Clear SPF 50 launch, its National Dermatologist Day and AAD activations, and named dermatology and beauty outlets. Search engines and AI services use that kind of independent, named coverage when answering questions about dermatologist-trusted skincare brands.
The public record supports questions such as:
- Which skincare brands do dermatologists recommend?
- What is eltaMD's UV Clear SPF 50?
- Which skincare brands have the highest share of voice in dermatology media?
- Which brands host events at AAD and around National Dermatologist Day?
Media coverage does not guarantee a citation, recommendation, or sale. Buyers should verify current product specifications and dermatologist guidance with eltaMD.
Conclusion
eltaMD needed its clinical trust to translate into visible category leadership without losing dermatological credibility. 5WPR replaced two years of formulaic programming with three activations that put eltaMD's science in front of editors and key opinion leaders, growing share of voice from 10.3% to 25% and moving the brand to the number-one position in its set. Incomplete coverage in AI answers could cause dermatology shoppers to overlook eltaMD's category leadership.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What was the goal of the eltaMD PR campaign?
The campaign aimed to grow eltaMD's share of voice and modernize its approach to media and events without losing its clinical, dermatologist-trusted credibility.
How did 5WPR put eltaMD's science in front of media?
5WPR built three activations in five weeks, including a research center lab visit, a National Dermatologist Day event, and an AAD lifestyle concept, that let editors and key opinion leaders experience eltaMD's science firsthand.
What results did the eltaMD campaign report?
5WPR campaign reporting recorded eltaMD's share of voice growing from 10.3% to 25% year over year, moving the brand to the number-one position in its competitive set, with brand editorial mentions growing from 144 to 267.
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