QV Skincare | From Market Entry to Market Leader
Ego Pharmaceuticals is an Australian skincare company with decades of expertise in dermatology and gentle skincare solutions. QV Skincare, one of its key brands, offers products specifically formulated to cleanse and moisturise dry, sensitive skin while supporting the skin’s natural barrier.
When QV entered the Middle East, it had limited market share and no regional digital presence. It was competing with established skincare European brands that consumers already knew and trusted.
Our partnership began in 2015 and continues today. As a digital marketing agency specialising in health and wellness, we built QV’s regional digital presence from the ground up, supporting its growth into a market leader in the Middle East.
Brief
The objective was to build QV’s digital presence and brand awareness, supporting its ambition to become a leading skincare brand in the Middle East.
The challenges:
- Established competitors already had strong consumer recognition and retail distribution, making it difficult for a new brand to gain attention.
- QV also faced barriers to retail access. At the time, even major pharmacy chains in Saudi Arabia had declined to stock the brand.
So, we needed to find a distinct position for QV in the market and give consumers a compelling reason to choose it.
Solution
We developed a 360° digital marketing strategy for QV Skincare in the Middle East, building its regional digital presence and identifying opportunities for the brand to stand out.
Brand positioning was central to our approach, So, one of the biggest opportunities we identified in the early years was Hajj. QV’s fragrance-free formulations gave the brand a relevant point of difference during this season, shaping a campaign that became a turning point in its regional visibility.
Our Strategic Framework
- Full-funnel digital strategy: Aligning social media, search, paid advertising, the regional website, and e-commerce to build awareness and support product consideration.
- Audience segmentation and targeting: Defining customer segments for each product line, using their skincare needs and digital behaviours to guide messaging, channel selection, and media investment.
- Brand positioning and differentiation: Connecting QV’s product strengths with relevant consumer needs and seasonal opportunities, giving the brand a distinct position in a competitive skincare market.
- Portfolio growth: Evolving the strategy to support new product lines, reach new audience segments, and strengthen QV’s presence across the Middle East.
Key Tactics
1. Building the Regional Digital Presence
We created QV’s Middle Eastern website and launched its regional Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat accounts, later expanding to TikTok and YouTube.
Each platform had content adapted to its formats and audience behaviours, giving QV a consistent regional presence.
2. Premium Creative Content and Video Production
Premium content production has been a major part of our work with QV. We developed creative concepts and produced advertising visuals, posters, carousels, and videos, including 3D and CGI production.
Our focus was on combining clear product communication with high-quality execution. Also maintaining a consistent standard of design and production that reflected QV’s premium brand image and followed the brand identity.
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Read more: Tiny Talks – AI-Powered Brand Storytelling Campaign
3. Seasonal and Trend-Led Campaigns
We developed content and media plans for seasonal campaigns, such as summer, winter, and back-to-school, adapting messages and featured products to consumers’ changing skincare needs.
We also selected trends and regional events that suited QV’s tone and brand image, turning them into relevant, creative, and engaging content.
QV’s Take on the Action Figure Trend:
4. Media Planning and Targeted Campaigns
We developed and executed paid media and digital advertising plans for each product line, market, and seasonal campaign, combining tailored creative content with precise audience targeting to reach the priority segments defined in our strategy.
5. Hajj Campaign Activation
Hajj is an annual Muslim pilgrimage and one of the Five Pillars of Islam. It is the largest human gathering in the world. During the pilgrimage, Muslims enter a sacred state called Ihram, which includes restrictions on using perfume and fragranced products. This makes fragrance-free skincare particularly relevant.
In the early years of our partnership, we developed and launched a Hajj campaign focused on QV Body’s fragrance-free formulations. This positioning made a significant difference to the brand’s early regional visibility.
We have continued to build on this positioning with campaigns every Hajj season, generating a strong impact and reinforcing QV Body’s relevance year after year.
6. AI Marketing Solutions
We integrated AI marketing tools into our work with QV, such as:
- AI-powered targeting: Using AI-powered advertising solutions, including Google Ads Demand Gen, to support more relevant ad delivery.
- AI video production: Using AI tools to develop creative concepts and produce content and advertisements aligned with QV’s visual identity, giving us greater creative flexibility and reducing production time.
Watch this:
7. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
We worked on local SEO to improve online visibility and help consumers find the brand and its products through relevant searches.
8. E-Commerce and E-Pharmacy Support
We supported QV’s online retail presence across Amazon, Noon, and e-pharmacy platforms, creating branded shopping experiences and premium product content.
- Amazon: Created the Brand Store, optimised product detail pages with enhanced product images, lifestyle visuals, and usage information, developed A+ content, and ran advertising campaigns.
- Noon: Created brand stores and promotional assets, including display banners and videos.
- E-pharmacies, such as Nahdi and Aster: Supplied product images, information, and creative assets for product detail pages, alongside dedicated brand stores and promotional materials.
9. New Product-Line Launches
We helped introduce new QV product lines to the Middle East through launching digital marketing campaigns that combined clear product messages, high-quality creative content, and paid ads targeting relevant audiences.
Check: How Eureka’s Social Media Service Drove QV Dermcare’s Digital Launch in the Middle East
10. Digital Marketing Workshops
We delivered digital marketing workshops at Ego’s offices, sharing practical knowledge with their teams and supporting their understanding of the brand’s digital activity.
Results
- Market leadership: QV Body became a skincare market leader in Saudi Arabia and other GCC markets.
- Advertising performance: Paid advertising activity achieved a reported return on ad spend (ROAS) of more than 80× during the partnership.
- Leading brand recall: Kantar research ranked QV Body first among the skincare brands measured in Saudi Arabia and UAE for spontaneous awareness and top-of-mind recall, while social media and messaging apps led the brand’s communication recall in both markets.
Global Recognition
Our work with Ego Pharmaceuticals received five global awards recognising creativity, seasonal campaigns, social media, AI marketing, and sales overachievements.
These awards mark important milestones in a partnership that continues to evolve with the brand.
We’ve been working with this agency for nearly 10 years, and they’ve consistently demonstrated professionalism, agility, and a deep understanding of the pharmaceutical landscape. Their multidisciplinary digital team is not only skilled but also highly collaborative, making them a valuable long-term partner across multiple digital initiatives.”
The entire team is incredibly friendly and supportive. I prefer not to mention individual names, as I wouldn’t want to overlook anyone — they all deserve recognition.
Amir Salah
Regional Senior Digital Marketing Lead, Middle East | Ego Pharmaceuticals
