Differin Breaks New Ground as the First Acne-Care Brand on Roblox
Dentsu, Differin, and Dubit are breaking new ground by becoming the first acne-care brand to establish a presence on Roblox, a platform with approximately 88.9M daily active players, spending an average of 2.5 hours daily with 60% of players aged 13+ as of Q3 2024. This strategic move aims to focus on acne-care education, building confidence, and fostering a supportive community for all players.
Level Up Lobby: Play, Learn, and Earn
Differin introduces the Level Up Lobby, an interactive space featuring an acne-care education mini-game packed with Differin’s acne-fighting arsenal. Participants can engage in three quick mini-game experiences:
- Foam Blaster: Players use the foam blaster to clean hovering faces with Differin’s 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Maximum Strength Foaming Cleanser.
- Power Patch Splatter: Players launch Differin Power Patches at the right moment to splat pimples.
- Zit Zapper: Players zap zits as they appear on hovering faces with Differin’s 10% Benzoyl Peroxide Spot Treatment Zapper.
Upon completing the mini-games, players are surrounded by a sparkling aura, symbolizing the afterglow of Differin acne-care, and receive a gift box packed with a power-up to use on the spot.
Play More, Earn More
The more you play, the more you earn. By participating in Differin’s Level Up Lobby Roblox experiences, players can receive daily power-ups throughout the campaign. On their fifth visit, they have a chance to receive exclusive UGC items for their forever wear collection.
Drive IRL Commerce: Buy, Scan, and Play
Shoppers can upload a receipt from any Differin product purchase from any retailer where Differin is sold to receive a power-up of their choice in participating Differin Level Up Lobby Roblox experiences.
Strategic Community Engagement
The Differin Level Up Lobby will appear across five popular Roblox experiences visited by millions monthly, including NewSmith, Teamwork Puzzles 2, Carry A Friend, Paradise RP and The Floor is Lava.This ensures that Differin meets their audience where they live, play, and engage, creating a seamless blend of acne-care education and entertainment.
“By becoming the first acne-care brand on Roblox, Differin is pioneering a new frontier in digital engagement. Our strategic presence in popular games that players know and love allows us to blend acne-care education with immersive entertainment. These innovative experiences are designed to build confidence and foster a supportive community. Additionally, rewarding players for purchases from any retailer where Differin is sold offers a unique way for them to level up both their skin and their game in the physical and digital world," said Val Vacante, VP, Solutions Innovation, Dentsu
Power of Partnership
Dentsu, the first advertising holding company included in the Roblox Partner Program, has teamed up with fellow Roblox partner Dubit and Galderma’s innovative acne-care brand, Differin, to deliver this first-of-its-kind acne-care experience on Roblox.
"We are excited to partner with Dentsu and Differin to bring Differin to life on Roblox. By meeting audiences where they are, we’ve created an experience that combines fun mini-games, partnerships with popular Roblox creators and real-world connections. This approach highlights the power of Roblox engaging communities in authentic ways that drive real-world value," Andy Douthwaite, Chief Commercial Officer, Dubit.
As a result of the partnership, Dentsu clients, like Differin, have gained insights into Roblox’s advertising technology innovation and, in collaboration with Dentsu and Dubit, have co-created the custom Level Up Lobby experiences to bring the Differin brand closer to their audiences across the physical and digital world.
Acne’s Impact
Every year, 50 million Americans suffer from acne, with 85% of them aged 12-24; a prime age for gaming. While Acne positivity and acceptance is improving, compared to prior generations, it still has a significant emotional impact for sufferers. Individuals with acne have a 42% higher risk of developing depression, with 60% reporting decreased confidence and 58% feeling lonely.
However, 90% of Gen Alpha and Gen Z, those mostly affected by acne, are actively engaging with video games and gaming content. Gaming can be beneficial for mental health. Studies show that 73% of players believe video games improve creativity, and 69% agree that gaming builds problem-solving and teamwork skills.
“Differin has always been a pioneering brand when it comes to acne treatment. I’m excited to fuse that pioneering spirit with our marketing efforts in the gaming community. The Level Up Your Acne IQ campaign gamifies the acne battle many teens face every day, and our goal is to help them win that battle with effective products,” said Lindsey Scales, Associate Director, OTC Acne, Galderma.
Gaining High Scores and Leveling Up
The Level Up campaign, which launched in late 2024, has featured innovative, connected touchpoints across Twitch, Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, and more, garnering over 271 million impressions, increasing purchase intent by 5,800%, boosting sales conversions by 52%, and driving website traffic up by 266%. Additionally, influencers drove over 31 million views, with the first Differin Duo gamer battle driving over 1.2 million minutes watched, exceeding Twitch benchmarks by 163%.
The collaboration on Roblox aims to further evolve the Level Up campaign exploring new media in ways that connect with the next generation of gamers.
The Global Stage of Innovation
At CES 2025, Dentsu, Differin, and Dubit will unveil the Differin Level Up Lobby. Get a sneak peek into their groundbreaking acne-care experiences on Roblox at the session "Level Up: Building Confidence and Community for Gamers" on January 9th, from 11:15 AM to 11:30 AM at the LVCC, Grand Lobby, CES Creator Space.
The Differin Level Up Lobby is due to launch publically in Q1 2025. The experience will be available to Roblox players ages 13+, there is no purchase necessary to participate.
Find out more about Differin’s “Level Up,” campaign at treatacne.com. Differin is available at major retailers nationwide.