Kiehl’s - Berner Hotline
The Opportunity
Kiehl’s was launching Ultra Facial Cream Medicated, a fast-acting recovery cream for sensitive, irritated skin. With 71 percent of consumers reporting skin sensitivity and irritation often described as burning or stinging, the opportunity was to introduce a medicated solution in a way that felt urgent, relatable, and culturally relevant rather than clinical, positioning Kiehl’s as the brand that shows up when skin is truly in crisis.
The Challenge
While sensitive skin is common, conversations around it are often private or confusing, and skincare education can quickly feel technical or detached from real life. Kiehl’s needed to communicate serious efficacy and clinical proof while cutting through crowded social feeds and emotionally connecting with consumers experiencing real skin meltdowns. The challenge was balancing authority with approachability at launch.
The Solution
We created The Kiehl’s Berner Hot Line, a creator-led advice concept built around the idea of “Skin on Fire.” Fronted by Hannah Berner, the Hot Line blended humor with real expertise, giving consumers a place to turn when their skin felt out of control. The social-first system transformed product education into conversation, making efficacy feel accessible rather than instructional.