Mapping the Derma Category for a new brand launch

The Challenge: The client, an MNC, wanted to enter the rapidly evolving Indian Derma skincare segment with a therapeutics brand. They needed a design blueprint for this science-based skin care brand. Their ask was centred around a detailed Semiotic decoding of the category. 

Our Approach:  We decoded four tools of narrativization used by the category:

1. User testimonials of products,

2. Social media pages

3. Website (focusing on their portfolio, categorisation and vocabulary)

4. Packaging
across 5 international brands and 6 Indian Digital-First brands. Studying these tools of narrativization enabled us to understand the present codes in the category.

This, however, would not have been enough as we needed to innovate in the category. Therefore, as inspiration content, we also studied European brands (for their aspirational value), Korean brands (for their popularity in the Indian market) and the beauty x tech space to identify emergent white spaces and employ code-mixing and code-challenging for innovation.

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Insights from Semiotic Decoding:

1. From our extensive study, we were able to identify the key differences between Derma-therapy and Derma-beauty brands. Derma-therapy is focussed on principles of science, anchoring it on healthy skin, while Derma-beauty is based on the fantasy of perfect skin. Derma-therapy is innately gender-neutral.

2. We identified key distinguishing signs of Derma-therapy in the form of Primary Signifying elements (such as the dermatologist and the clinical actives), Secondary Signifying elements visible in the product range (such as regimens and treatments) and Tertiary Signifying Elements visible in packaging (such as colours and graphics).

3. The dermatologist is an important signifying element who contributes to connotations of credibility and clinical authority. The level of credibility can depend on a number of factors like style of interaction with consumers ( friendly and welcoming vs serious and authoritative), attire (white lab coat vs formal attire vs fashionable attire) and the association with brand (owner vs endorser).

Results:

The client has launched the new brand into the market.