An early player in the dermatological and skin health space, Murad is strengthening its wellness play. Founded by Dr. Howard Murad, the brand was built on his four pillars of wellness: eat your water, be kind to your mind, awaken your body and nourish your skin.
Murad, which industry sources estimate will reach $150 million in retail sales this year (the brand, which is owned by Unilever, declined to share sales figures), is looking to leverage its positioning within the wellness category further by doubling down on its history.
“We know our consumers have become more and more curious when it comes to wellness,” said Murad chief executive officer Paul Schiraldi. “In an annual brand awareness study, Murad has seen a 30 percent lift in its wellness positioning among consumers from 2019 to 2022.”
This year, the brand is honoring the 20th anniversary of the term ‘cultural stress,’ which Dr. Murad coined, based on his research on how stressors of modern life can negatively impact a person’s mental health and skin health. Many of Murad’s products, including the Eczema Control line, Intense Recovery Cream, Revitalixir Recovery Serum and City Skin Age Defense SPF 50, are formulated for skin concerns exacerbated by stress. The brand plans to expand its stress focus with new solution-based product launches in 2024.
In an effort to educate consumers on the impact of stress, Murad has partnered with Active Minds, a nonprofit organization that provides mental health support for young adults and reaches 1.9 million people annually.
“This partnership helps us cement Dr. Murad’s lifelong commitment to science-backed wellness and Murad’s purpose of conquering stress,” Schiraldi said.
Together, the team will host two Stress Less Weeks at 1,000 college campuses during April and October. During these weeks, students will receive Stress Less kits curated by Murad and Active Minds, which will include mental well-being resources, educational materials and Murad products that aim to address the impacts of stress on skin health.
“This partnership with Active Minds championed our ‘Be Kind to Your Mind’ pillar in an authentic and organic way that we think consumers will recognize. This partnership, and the timing of it, also allows us to hone in on Dr. Murad’s 20th anniversary of coining the term ‘Cultural Stress’, giving us another moment to educate on the effects of stress, both physically and mentally,” Schiraldi said.
While the Stress Less Weeks will provide Murad heightened exposure to Gen Z consumers, the brand’s goal is ultimately to spread its “Be Kind to Your Mind” messaging to all.
“We do think younger consumers are more educated and aware of the importance of mental health issues, but we hope other generations feel empowered to do the same and ultimately cultivate an environment that embodies that message,” Schiraldi said.
Throughout 2023, Murad will make monetary contributions to Active Minds that will be used to expand the nonprofit’s reach and grow the Stress Less Weeks across more college campuses. Murad will also add an in-cart donation feature and educational content on Active Minds to its site, as well as promote the nonprofit on its social channels.
Source: WWD