Building a Purposeful Future for Garnier Skincare

Challenge

While Garnier enjoys strong brand love, particularly among Gen Z and Millennial consumers, it lacked a compelling, purpose-driven identity—unlike competitors such as Dove and The Body Shop. This absence of purpose was holding back Brand Health. Additionally, Garnier’s skincare range felt fragmented in the crowded skincare market, with no overarching narrative to connect its diverse products.

My Role & Approach

I led the research and insight mining process, which culminated in a strategic workshop at L’Oréal that I facilitated. The workshop was anchored on the provocation: “Good skin is a right, not a privilege.”
From this foundation, I:
- Developed four strategic territories to explore a unifying Skin Platform for Garnier.
- Developed the strategy for the new AHA/BHA serum campaign, inspired by the emotional and social impact of ‘skin struggles.’ The campaign highlighted how the serum helped improve not just skin but also mental well-being, creating a relatable and powerful connection with consumers.

Impact

While the broader Skin Platform didn’t proceed, the insights gathered from this work informed the successful launch of the AHA/BHA serum, which resonated deeply with the ‘skin struggles’ community. The campaign drove impressive results:
- The AHA/BHA serum became the 4th best-selling serum in Boots within just two weeks, despite having no additional in-store or media support.
- Key insights and learnings were integrated into Garnier’s My Garnier Community forum and organic social media content.
- Indirectly, this work contributed to Garnier becoming the #1 skincare brand on social media (Instagram and TikTok).