Refresh and revitalise

The challenge for the Clearasil brand is always a tough one. Meeting the needs of a tough, savvy teen audience, in an emotionally fraught territory, where blemish free skin is the ultimate goal! The need for innovation and constant improvement – in product and skin results terms – never ceases.  As prolific innovators, Reckitt Benckiser have always been one step ahead of consumer need with NPD top of the agendas. Our challenge was to find new space in the brand offer to satisfy the most demanding teen and early twenties audience in multiple global markets.

Fast track and fast results

Time is always of the essence - screened concepts were needed within a four week turnaround to be put into quantitative concept testing. We designed a fast track insight dig using conflict groups of target consumers with very different attitudes to and behaviours around blemish care, to bust some category myths, dig into the shortfalls into existing competitor products, tap into the deeper stigmas and issues around living with spots and to gain an inspiring wider picture on new ways to frame and deliver the NPD by looking at the language and styling of skincare products. We distilled these into pithy insights as springboards into fast track Innovation.

Over before it’s begun

Despite a hugely comprehensive portfolio and some of the most advanced products of any blemish care brand, the innovation process created more space for strong new products answering directional insights. Eight concepts passed internal success criteria ‘hurdles’ and went forward to concept testing, with three new products driven by discretion, precision, control and ‘full stop’ winning through. The Spot Blocker Pen met needs-in-common between the teen and more sensitised older acne suffering audience for an on-the-go, super-discreet, targeted treatment while Rapid Action Treatment Cream focused on rapidly minimising visibility of a breakout within four hours. And the Ultra Seal to Clear product focused on the preventative mindset offering a sealing-and-healing dual action which would enhance healing and stop the spread of further infection in its tracks to progress with confidence into deeper concept testing.