She explains that Galderma is a company with a unique legacy in dermatology and have decades of cutting-edge innovation. The company deliver science-based portfolio of premium flagship brands and is advancing dermatology for every skin story. With a pioneering heritage in hyaluronic acid (HA) dermal injectable fillers and botulinum neuromodulators Galderma makes a difference in people´s lives by providing effective and proven medical solutions to help them look and feel their best. Galderma also focus on Consumer Care with solutions they need to maintain healthy skin throughout their lives as well as prescription medicine business providing dermatologists and other health care professionals for moderate to severe skin diseases.

The reason Galderma once again turned to Opticom for market insights this time was for a new brand Restylane Eyelight, which is a filler treatment for under the eyes and Charlotte explains the background to this latest joint project: “Before deciding to decide on the go-to market launch strategy with a new  brand, you need to provide a rationale and a validated business case to ensure that the project has a financial base to make profit and estimated success. For the leadership team to take an executive decision to invest in launching the project, create global campaigns, and how to position the brand, compared to competitors you need insights and data to support your proposed strategy and when the project is estimated to go break even.”

The project involved respondents with previous experience of, or an interest in injectable dermal fillers. Galderma wanted to investigate if there is a market for specifically treating 'a tired look' and if so, how big the market potential truly is. Galderma also wanted to know more about which triggers could be the reason for starting to seek more information about the condition and what words the target group use to describe their situation with perceived dark circles under the eyes. Do these individuals feel that this is a problem for them and if so, how big is the problem?

Opticom conducted a web survey to find out more about this concern in the Nordic countries, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK and in total, more than 3,200 people were interviewed.

According to Charlotte’s experience, there are quite a few companies that can compete with Opticom in conducting global market research projects. However, Opticom have this unique ability to conduct interviews in many different countries and languages, managed directly out of their Stockholm headquarters, which offers beneficial synergies with regards to pricing as well as quality control: “I have experience working with many other market research companies both in Sweden and globally and I think Opticom as a company compete very well commercially. You have a huge geographical footprint both with regards to your capabilities, and your linguistical skills. You have expertise in so many different languages and can run interviews in many parts of the world without having to procure and outsource such services locally.”

Another important asset that she wants to emphasize is that Opticom has very good knowledge of the Aesthetic Industry, making things easier right from the start of a joint project: “Opticom has a strong initial understanding of what needs to be done, always swiftly coming back with a detailed project proposal with a strong rational, relevant scope, and clearly explaining the process for implementation, by what method, with what timetable and so on. So, working with Opticom is all very competitive.”

Evaluating the launch of Restylane Eyelight Charlotte says that the data collected from the Opticom market scoping project really laid the foundation for Galderma’s marketing campaign for the brand and setting the stage for the theme 'Exit Shadows, Enter Light' and she continues: “The project has truly been very useful to us. Both from a business perspective where we understood that there is a potential here in this segment, and from a communication standpoint. We found out more about which target groups we should try to reach first and their level of importance and what triggers them. For example, without this project, we might not have realized that men are a target group with large potential for this indication and product.”

As Galderma is active in the segment between Beauty and Medical, finding the right balance in messaging is crucial, and this launch has indeed been successful: “Restylane Eyelight is now a very accepted product, the name is established, and many potential customers come to the clinics saying that they want treatment with Eyelight and that they have understood from our communication that they can be helped reducing their under eye dark circles with this injectable dermal filler... So, it's really a strong position having established the brand and sales are doing much better than expected.”

Galderma estimated that the market segment sales potential would perhaps be around 4-7% and now, 18 months post launch, this indication has a share of the entire sales cake of 17%: “We have been able to gain important market shares in this particular area, so this was money very well invested!”

Galderma has also written an abstract, where data from the market research study was included. The results were presented to industry KOL’s at the annual Aesthetic & Anti-Aging Medicine World Congress (AMWC) in Monaco last fall, and Charlotte concludes that the response there was fantastic. “We have really been able to use the results 360; in our social media, medical, commercial in clinic material and sales presentations so data from the survey has been well integrated.” So far, Restylane Eyelight has been launched in Europe and the material derived from the survey will also be used when expanding the brand presence awaiting approval in further markets globally.

“The strong thing about our campaign is that it is based partly on Opticom's large consumer survey with more than 3,200 European participants, and partly on a scientific study with 2-300 patients. The entire Eyelight launch has probably driven sales for all competitive brands expanding the awareness for the indication on the market, but we can see that we benefited the most” she concludes.

Concerning the future, Charlotte says that there is already talk about new projects: “I have great experience from working with Opticom, and I think you have a very strong and competent team. You are reliable, you say what you can deliver and what your boundaries are. You are not the cheapest but certainly not the most expensive, and you deliver high quality and good value-for-money!”