For years, consumers had been importing E45 Lotion informally, drawn to a formulation that delivered on dry skin care for over 70 years. In December 2023, Karo Pharma signed an exclusive distribution agreement with Ekulo Group to establish E45’s first formal presence in the Nigerian market. In a market rife with counterfeits, the new bottle and rebranded packaging carried the risk of consumer confusion and eroded trust at the point of sale.
To combat this, we began our strategy at the trade level, with press coverage across Nigeria’s major publications serving a dual purpose — building consumer awareness while formally signalling to wholesalers and distributors that Ekulo Group was the sole, legitimate route to market. Vanguard gave the story front page placement. As harmattan season approached, the period when dry skin peaks and lotion becomes a necessity rather than a preference, we shifted to consumer activation. We partnered with Beauty Hut, West Africa’s leading beauty retailer, to anchor a creator seeding event that generated content across Instagram and TikTok. We placed radio jingles, secured podcast mentions, and took the campaign into physical spaces with billboards and lamppost advertising across major urban areas.
The results reflected the breadth of the campaign. E45’s market entry was covered across Nigeria’s most widely read publications — Business Day, Punch, Tribune, and Vanguard. The Beauty Hut creator event generated over 500,000 views across Instagram and TikTok.
