Neutrogena's clear strategy for boosting awareness with digital audio ads

The brief

Noticing that consumer spending on products that inspire health and happiness was on the rise, Neutrogena used Spotify to reach millennials and multicultural consumers with moderate to severe acne symptoms. The brand wanted to connect with people with a positive attitude and a deep desire to explore—in other words, Spotify listeners who enjoy wellness, travel, and general "joie de vivre."

Through the campaign, Neutrogena promoted its Stubborn Acne (AM) and Stubborn Marks (PM) products and encouraged their daily use. The brand hoped to find customers in key moments of engagement, including when they connected with each other and with their favorite artists and influencers online.

The solution

Given that approximately three out of five Spotify Free users are millennials—and one in three of those listeners are multicultural¹—leaning into digital audio for the campaign was a no-brainer. Neutrogena leveraged Spotify's first-party and third-party data across streaming audio to engage their target audience of health and beauty buyers.

We worked with Neutrogena to create audio assets that featured an upbeat woman's voice whose tone would resonate with target listeners. We delivered the brand's message—emphasizing the positive impact of clear, healthy skin—via digital audio ads and display ads.

The impact

Overall, the campaign demonstrated a clear interest in the brand's skin-refining products. The campaign resulted in significant lifts across brand metrics like recall and purchase intent—including a 12-point increase in brand awareness and a 13-point increase in intent to purchase Neutrogena Stubborn Acne + Marks.

Want to promote your brand or launch a new product on Spotify? Learn more about digital audio advertising and how it can help you reach engaged audiences.