Pond's new campaign with Ogilvy Singapore taps into women's unrealised skin desires

If there's one thing that advertising agency Ogilvy and client Pond's (Unilever) have in common, it's heritage. Founded in 1948 by David Ogilvy (though its long history dates back as far as the late 1850s with Edmund Mather), Ogilvy is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the agency world as it's known today.

Similarly, Pond's too, is rooted in history. In 1846 Theron T. Pond, a pharmacist from Utica, New York, introduced 'Pond's Golden Treasure', a witch-hazel based 'wonder product'. Fourty years later, it was re-launched as ‘Pond's Extract’ and in 1905, the launch of Pond’s Cold Cream marked the brand’s evolution to the modern face care icon we know it to be today.

Now, both have come together to announce the next evolution in tech advancements and product development from the popular skincare company, as the Pond's Skin Institute launches their new Bright Miracle product range. In an elevated overhaul co-created with Ogilvy Singapore, Pond's latest skincare products have something called 'Niasorcinol™,' a revolutionary new ingredient. It uses Nobel prize-winning scientific knowledge, enabling your skin to repair itself more efficiently, and purportedly leave it clear and glowing. The products are already gaining traction across Indonesia and Southeast Asia from the range, including the Bright Miracle cream and Bright Miracle facial foam. The new campaign also marks the debut of K-pop idol Tzuyu as the brand’s global ambassador, who invites women to discover the science behind the range.

Pond's new product range.

To find out more, Campaign caught up with Aanchal Sethi, global managing partner at Ogilvy, who leads the Unilever business for Asia. Sethi has spent over 20 years in the communications business across industries including FMCG, oil and gas, travel, hospitality and retail. She’s also worked in India, Dubai and Singapore on a range of global clients including Unilever and Cathay Pacific. She joined Ogilvy in October 2021, with prior stints at VCCP Singapore and Iris Worldwide in business account direction capacities. In addition to her professional accolades, Sethi is also a passionate DE&I advocate and mentor, with a focus on nurturing the next generation of talent.

Read on below for insights on Sethi's role at Ogilvy, the new Pond's campaign, the challenges of marketing a brand as diverse and large as Unilever, and more.

I lead the Unilever business in Asia, partnering with our clients, in-market and cross-functional teams at Ogilvy and WPP to deliver creative solutions.

What inspires you about the ad and marketing industry, and has it changed from when you first entered it?

I've always been inspired by great creative—the reason I joined the industry. I started my career as a producer, and was inspired by the process of turning an idea into something real in the studio. After two decades, I'm still as inspired as I was back then. When I sit in a creative review or an offline presentation with the client—watching their eyes light up as the idea comes to life are some of the best moments of my day.

Can you give us an overview on Pond's' latest campaign, and why it’s a key moment for the brand in Asia?

Pond's is Unilever’s leading face care brand. Over the years, the brand has innovated and originated countless skincare breakthroughs and patents. In Asia, where beauty is ever-evolving, it's a perfect moment for the brand to embrace it’s legacy of pioneering science and innovation and bring to the consumers. [This campaign features] a revolutionary new ingredient, a beloved brand ambassador and an elevated brand world. It also marks Tzuyu’s debut as brand ambassador, inviting women to discover how the science of the Pond's Skin Institute can make miracles happen for their skin.

What makes Pond's an inter-generational product, and what’re the challenges of marketing brands that cross generational demographics?

Pond’s has a legacy of 177 years. It's an iconic, trusted brand that has been passed down through generations. Marketing inter-generational brands is challenging but extremely exciting, because while older generations have more familiarity with the brand, the newer generation might perceive it to be dated. Therefore, to succeed, brands have to constantly listen to consumers and innovate with formats, ingredients and across demand spaces. In today’s day and age where there is a lot of misinformation about beauty, consumers look for brands they can trust. So, brands should use their heritage and legacy as a strength and not as baggage.

How can consumers differentiate between cosmetics and skincare brands when it comes to the tech they offer, given everyone has a unique ingredient at play. What makes Pond's unique in this regard?

Beauty is ever-evolving, and there are new trends every day. However, consumers are tired of trying different solutions and still not being able to reach their ultimate desired skin. It's this clutter in beauty that the Pond’s Skin Institute aims to break backed by science. Over the years, they've been known to constantly innovate and bring new, superior ingredients and technology moving the beauty industry forward. The new ingredient, Naisorcinol™ is a revolutionary ingredient that leverages the Nobel-prize winning science of autophagy to boost skin’s ability to self-repair and achieve ultimate clarity and radiance.

What’re the positive points and challenges of working with a brand as large as Unilever in a market as diverse as Asia?

Working on a brand like Unilever gives us the scale of execution that not many other brands do. We can reach consumers in the remotest of areas with our message. Along with scale, we also get the opportunity to pilot, test and learn. This helps with pivoting and finessing our campaigns.

Our key challenge is to keep up with the pace of the FMCG giant. We have to plan accurately and precisely, always keeping an eye for potential bumps along the road and be ready with plan B and C at any given point. Needless to say, we are constantly on our toes working hand in hand with our clients to truly make ‘Miracles Happen'. 

What do you think are the marks of a good and effective campaign?

A good and effective campaign is one that is backed by a strong human truth. We simply cannot cheat our consumer. Pond’s Skin Institute for example, tapped into the insight that 9 out of 10 women struggle to bridge the gap to their desired skin. They believe that it would take a miracle to achieve this skin. We focussed on this insight and everything that has been created for the latest campaign, springs from here.