Clearasil to get rid of its acne image

Clearasil is to target consumers in their mid-20s for the first time, with a new range called Total Control, as the brand tries to break out of its core teenage market.

The launch for the brand comes two years after it was bought by Boots Healthcare International (BHI) from Procter & Gamble, in a cash deal worth £233m.

According to insiders, the launch will be supported by a multi-million pound TV and press campaign.

Last year, BHI moved the Clearasil global ad account out of Grey Worldwide and into McCann-Erickson, which handles BHI’s other healthcare brands including Nurofen and Strepsils (MW October 10, 2002). BHI spends just under £1m on Clearasil, but there have been attempts to turn the brand – traditionally associated with acne and bad skin – into one that is associated with the promotion of healthy skin.

BHI added a series of new products to the Clearasil range in March last year as part of this strategy. The products included body wash, overnight gel and face wipes.

One observer says: “For too long, the brand has been known as something found in the cabinets of acne-ridden teenagers. It is a brand heritage that BHI has been trying to get rid of ever since the acquisition. The launch into the mid-20s market will help it to shed that image. It is a step in the right direction.”