From Bottom Shelf to Category Leader:
The Cetaphil UK Story
In 2014, Cetaphil was practically invisible in the UK despite its global reputation.
Doctors and celebrities loved it worldwide, but in the UK, you could barely see it’s three products hidden on pharmacy shelves.
HIDDEN POTENTIAL:
A week after I joined as Senior Brand Manager, Boots (80% of our sales) threatened to delist our products.
The brand faced two critical issues:
UK shoppers didn't know about Cetaphil despite its medical and celebrity endorsements
Products were hidden in medicated aisles while customers shopped for skincare elsewhere
CHALLENGE:
I quickly implemented a data-driven approach:
Purchased market data to understand our competitive position
Ran consumer testing revealing 51% of users would switch to Cetaphil after one trial
Discovered our location in stores, not product quality, was the main barrier
MEASURE:
SIMPLIFY:
With these insights, I created an immediate rescue plan:
Deployed 100k samples at strategic Boots locations
Included redemption coupons with each sample
Updated all materials using consumer-friendly language
Results: Daily sales jumped 40%, saving our Boots distribution and proving customers would buy Cetaphil after trial.
AMPLIFY:
Building on this success, I developed a sustainable growth strategy:
Created "Healthy Skin Secrets" campaign with Time Inc. using trusted voices
Scaled sampling (250k in year 2, 400k in year 3)
Built a content hub that attracted 40k competition entries
Connected marketing to sales through strategic couponing
Secured placement in mainstream skincare aisles
RESULTS:
The transformation was dramatic:
Quadrupled revenue from £1.4M to £5.6M in 3 years
Outpaced the skincare market by 10x annually
Maintained marketing spend below category averages
Transformed from imminent delisting to category growth leader
By understanding triggers and barriers along the path to purchase, I repositioned Cetaphil at the intersection of medicated and mass-market skincare — exactly where data showed consumers wanted us to be.
This case demonstrates how my Measure, Simplify, Amplify approach delivers both immediate turnaround and long-term strategic growth.