Neutrogena is evolving its marketing strategy with a comprehensive 360-degree approach designed to deepen engagement with its core audience, particularly Gen Z consumers. Most recently, this strategy includes the skin care brand’s sponsorship of its newly launched Global Brand Ambassador Tate McRae’s Miss Possessive Global Tour.
According to a 2023 study by McKinsey & Company, Gen Z consumers account for nearly 40% of global beauty industry spending, with a strong preference for brands that integrate digital engagement and real-world experiences. Additionally, research from Statista indicates that 80% of Gen Z shoppers prefer brands that engage with them across multiple platforms, including social media, live events, and influencer collaborations.
This strategy integrates digital innovation, live experiences, and cross-industry partnerships to ensure the brand remains culturally relevant and connected to consumers where they are most engaged.
“At Neutrogena, we have hit the ground running this year and have kicked off the new year with a new brand positioning—’ Beauty to a Science,‘” Mary Tomaschko, Director of Marketing for Neutrogena Megabrand told CosmeticsDesign. “Tate [McRae] brings a relatable, unstoppable energy to our new Hydro Boost campaign and to Neutrogena, making her the perfect partner to help us connect with the next generation of consumers.”
Multi-channel expansion through live experiences
A key component of Neutrogena’s 360 strategy is a deeper integration of live events, and the sponsorship of Tate McRae’s global tour marks a brand shift toward more experiential marketing to facilitate more direct consumer interactions. “Overall, we are being more intentional about where our consumers are, allowing us to meet them where it’s culturally relevant and engaging with them in a highly receptive space,” Tomaschko explained.
Neutrogena’s presence at McRae’s Kia Forum concert demonstrated this shift. “During the Kia Forum show last month, we sampled over 7K products of Hydro Boost, invited creator talent to attend the show as our VIP guests, and even had a branded photo booth and brand presence throughout the space,” she said. “This was a great moment for the brand, and we plan to take key learnings and implement them and adapt to Tate’s global tour, where we plan to join.”
Strengthening digital and social commerce
Digital engagement through social media platforms like TikTok remains a pillar of Neutrogena’s approach. “It’s important for Neutrogena to connect renewed relevancy with Gen Z while still maximizing conversion,” Tomaschko said.
“That’s why this moment was unique,” she explained. “We were able to not only show up during a live stream on Tate’s handle,” she illustrated, “but also integrate our products within her Brand Showcase and drive support behind our own Neutrogena TikTok shop.”
By leveraging social commerce tools such as TikTok’s live-streaming and in-app shopping, Neutrogena has focused its marketing efforts on driving brand affinity and sales.
Cross-industry integration in entertainment
In addition to McRae’s tour sponsorship, Neutrogena’s inclusion in her “Revolving Door” music video highlighted how the brand’s strategy enables embedding itself into cultural moments that resonate with consumers.
“Through Tate’s partnership with Neutrogena, we are fully immersing the brand into her world—making our feature in her music video feel like a natural fit,” Tomaschko said. “The video opens with a cameo featuring several posters of Tate and her signature product, Hydro Boost Water Gel, within the first two seconds of the video,” she explained.
The results were swift and measurable, she added. “We’re thrilled by the incredible response so far; within just five days of its release, the video has already surpassed 4.4 million views on YouTube and the song continues to rank highly on the charts.”
The role of in-person engagement in brand loyalty
According to Tomaschko, Neutrogena’s strategy recognizes that real-world experiences remain critical in building brand loyalty and deepening consumer relationships. “Our research shows how positive social sentiment, especially on social media, often stems from in-person experiences,” she noted.
The data demonstrates that “Gen Z craves these personal touchpoints and meaningful connections with brands,” she added, so “by embedding Neutrogena into Tate McRae’s world, we’re ensuring our brand shows up in authentic, culturally relevant ways.”
Looking ahead: A continuous evolution
Moving forward, Neutrogena’s approach will continue to remain adaptable in an evolving consumer landscape. “Neutrogena will continue evolving its multi-channel strategy by leveraging innovation, personalization, and cultural relevance—whether that’s through in-person touchpoints, celebrity talent or the creators we partner with,” Tomaschko concluded.
“Ultimately, our goal is to deepen consumer engagement and maintain our leadership as a brand steeped in science.”
