Sun Pharma has teamed up with television personality and dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee—also known as Dr. Pimple Popper on the TLC network—to spotlight the role of hormones in the underlying cause of skin acne.
The “AH-ha! It’s Acne Hormones” campaign will feature a diverse group of people—age, gender, ethnicity—affected by acne and clear up some common myths about the skin condition.
“Sun Pharma created the 'AH-ha! It’s Acne Hormones' campaign to spotlight hormones as a major underlying cause of acne, regardless of age, gender or ethnicity,” a spokesperson for Sun Pharma told Fierce Pharma Marketing in an interview.
“There are many misconceptions about acne, including that it happens only in teenage years and is caused by behaviors like eating junk food, which just aren’t true. There needs to be more education about the biological causes of acne in a way that resonates and sticks with people of different ages.”
Sun Pharma markets Winlevi, a first-in-class topical androgen receptor inhibitor, which nabbed an FDA OK in 2020 for the topical treatment of acne patients 12 years of age and older and launched in the U.S. in 2021.
There are more than 20 individuals profiled on the campaign’s website, all in different stages of life yet struggling with acne. The patients in the videos share their hobbies and personalities so that people watching can relate.
The "AH-ha!" campaign uses pops of graffiti to grab viewers’ attention. The goal is to bust the misunderstanding that acne is caused by poor hygiene, diet or sweating in what they call “AH-ha” moments.
The easy-to-understand language and graphics offer guidance for talking with a dermatologist and patient Q&As with Dr. Lee. Some of this content and more will be shared across a variety of digital and social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook pages.
While the campaign has a fun and playful tone, the information being provided is educational and serious, as acne can have a deep psychosocial impact.
Sun Pharma wanted to partner with Dr. Lee because of her credibility as a board-certified and practicing dermatologist as well as a recognizable celebrity.
Dr. Lee is passionate about educating people about the root cause of acne and how to seek help. Plus, her upbeat personality and enthusiasm are the perfect complement to the essence of the campaign. And, since she is Dr. Pimple Popper, Dr. Lee will also be “popping” common acne myths to provide education in an entertaining and memorable way.
Acne is the most prevalent skin condition in the U.S., affecting 80% of the population at some point in their lives. The skin condition more heavily affects individuals between the ages of 12 and 24 (85%); it also affects 54% of women and 40% of men over 25 years of age. So, while the Sun Pharma message is mostly directed to teenagers and adults up to about 45 years of age, it’s also intended for caregivers—mostly parents who are caring for their teens and young adults.
The campaign will run on digital platforms through 2023.
“'AH-ha! It’s Acne Hormones' is a direct-to-consumer campaign, however, we hope that dermatology professionals are also reminded of the importance of educating patients on the underlying cause of their acne, and guiding them to follow an effective skin care regimen that may involve OTC and/or prescription products,” the spokesperson said.
“We really want people with acne to stop blaming themselves and understand that this very common condition is caused by hormones in the skin, not by external factors which is commonly believed.”