Digital solutions help to build special relationships with stakeholders
Thanks to L’Oréal’s digital expertise, the Active Cosmetics Division has strengthened its relationships with stakeholders: doctors, partners and consumers – an important competitive advantage in a time when the pandemic is constantly forcing us to rethink the way we interact.
Dermocosmetics in the digital era
2021 was a year of increasingly digitalised interactions in all areas, including the medical field: online training sessions, webinars, doctor’s visits, telehealth, and more. Relationships between dermocosmetics brands and their healthcare partners—such as dermatologists, pharmacists, general practitioners—were no exception. Most of the major industry events took place remotely. The Active Cosmetics Division participated in and organised a number of online conferences and presented its brands at trade fairs operating in new digital formats with virtual stands, where participants could learn more about the Division’s scientific innovations. Vichy was particularly popular at the 30th annual EADV Congress, which took place in late 2021, with several experts invited to talk about the exposome. During the event, which included 36 companies, the Active Cosmetics Division accounted for 12% of industry-led scientific activity. As for La Roche-Posay, the brand launched a major campaign to raise awareness about eczema, which was shared by influencers on social networks like TikTok and Instagram. Health influencers—dermatologists or nonprofessional influencers who focus on the topic—with broad followings on social networks, helped to spread the word about the Division’s brands. The Division is number one in online skincare recommendations.
Vichy decided to put technology to work for dermatologists and pharmacists with its Dercos Scalp & Hair Academy: a digital platform available to the brand’s medical partners which features content co developed by Vichy teams along with hair and scalp specialists. It helps to spread scientific knowledge in these fields and train professionals.
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A human-centric approach, powered by digital
E-commerce is booming
Relationships with consumers are changing, too. While momentum remained good at brick-and-mortar stores, e-commerce continued to accelerate, in step with new consumer buying behaviour.
In 2021, the Division recorded exceptional sales growth in e-commerce, at +42.7%. It also launched several social commerce initiatives around the globe. The SkinCeuticals skincare brand is particularly popular on Tmall in China. It also launched a new online boutique in several countries as it continued to build its brand image. Thanks to telehealth consultations with experts, consumers were able to enjoy personalised experiences and custom skincare routines, which in turn boosted brand loyalty.
Using high-tech tools to better serve consumers
By combining technology and digitalisation, L’Oréal developed innovative services and tools for consumers and medical partners. For example, the Division worked with ModiFace to develop the easy-to-use MyDermCode app, which provides an incredibly precise skin “diagnosis” in just a few minutes. A simple selfie is enough to build a personalised assessment of the seven most common skin problems—including acne, dryness, wrinkles, greasiness and pigmentation—and a recommendation for a custom skincare ritual suited to the user’s needs. The solution is powered by an AI algorithm based on more than 16,000 clinical photos and selfies.
La Roche-Posay developed Spotscan, the first AI-powered acne analyser, to provide skincare recommendations for those with acne-prone skin. A clinical study overseen by three dermatologists and published in a scientific journal confirmed the algorithm’s accuracy. Since it launched, Spotscan has provided 20 million skin assessments.
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