Jen Baden HowardGold Bond is on a mission to redefine the body care category.
Following the launch of Gold Bond Scented Hand Creams in January, the company’s first foray into fragranced skin care, it has just unveiled a trio of Scented Body Creams, and announced a new brand ambassador, Ali Larter, during an activation at the Under The Big Sky festival in Montana, in July.
CEW sat down with Danielle Prencipe, Director of Marketing at Gold Bond, and Martyna Dobkiewicz, Senior Brand Manager, Innovation, to discuss how the range with a 100-year-strong reputation for formulating science-backed, clinically tested skin care is innovating for the future and engaging new consumers, while delighting devotees.
The setting of Under The Big Sky presented a golden opportunity to showcase the new, deeply hydrating body creams to festival goers, at the Gold Bond Moisture Gold Mine. “It was the right environment —an outdoor festival, at high altitude, with a dry climate — to bring scented body lotion to life,” said Prencipe, who described the activation as “an immersive, oasis-inspired experience”. Festival goers were invited to experience the products and discover their perfect scent. “Showing up in these culturally relevant moments has been part of our ongoing strategy to engage consumers in meaningful ways,” continued Prencipe. “We want to show up in unexpected ways to surprise and delight them, where they are.”
As Gold Bond’s new ambassador, Larter attended the activation at Under The Big Sky. “We love Ali,” said Prencipe of the actress and Landman star. “She felt like a perfect extension of the Western Goldmine activation. She brings in that confident, playful approach and energy, which really aligns perfectly with that.” Previous brand celebrity partnerships have included Chelsea Handler, Laverne Cox, and Shaquille O’Neal.
“The Scented Hand Cream launch proved there is strong consumer demand for fragranced body care, with 67% of Walmart purchasers being first-time Gold Bond buyers. Its success underscores that innovation can help attract new consumers to the brand,” reported Prencipe, extending the experience to the rest of the body was a natural progression. “It’s the first time we’re providing a scent-forward innovation,” said Dobkiewicz of Gold Bond’s Scented Collection. “It was a little over 12 months in development, because we wanted to make sure that we were hitting on trends that were relevant, seen and desired by consumers, while doing our due diligence in trialing, as we always do. The rigor was the same but compacted to a condensed timeline.”
With a choice of three, mood-enhancing scent profiles — Vanilla Dream, Island Peach and Cherry Crush — the new Scented Body Creams tap into consumers’ desire to squeeze a little, spa-like “me time” into their daily skin care rituals. “We believe that body care is not an afterthought but an essential part of someone’s everyday self-care routine,” explained Prencipe. “I think that’s the exciting thing about the scented space, it’s so personalized, and can depend on what kind of mood you’re in so you can pick the right one for you in that moment. The new Scented Collection body care products that combine the efficacious formulas Gold Bond is known for with that elevated sensorial experience. Martyna and our R&D team have done an amazing job in modernizing textures and thoughtfully introducing these different fragrances, to really help us bridge that clinical credibility that we’re known for with more of that sensorial, elevated experience. We’re giving consumers the best of both worlds, in a way that fits seamlessly into their routines.”
Gold Bond’s legacy in targeting and treating specific skin care conditions and concerns — including eczema, psoriasis, and itchiness — dates back to its beginnings. Founded in 1882 by physicians at the Rhode Island State Medical Association, the brand launched with a triple-action, medicated powder formulated to cool, soothe, and protect the skin. Over the decades, the brand grew to become a market leader, offering trusted, targeted skin care solutions for all skin types. Heroes of the range today include the Retinol Overnight Face & Body Lotion, Healing Hydrating Lotion, and Age Renew Plumping Collagen Body & Face Serum Lotion. “For Gold Bond, education is essential, especially as consumers become more savvy,” noted Prencipe. “They want to know the how and the why behind ingredients.”
Dobkiewicz is particularly proud of the three fragrances the team settled on for the new Gold Bond Scented Body Creams. “What I love about the Scented Collection is that it’s a surprise for consumers, because they may not expect it from Gold Bond. We have a very loyal existing customer base that loves our clinically proven formulas with active ingredients that work. This takes it to the next level, and brings in more of that emotional, enjoyable, scent-driven experience.”
According to Dobkiewicz, “Each of the products has their own unique positioning, starting with the texture, unique scent, ingredients and benefits. Vanilla Dream Softening Cashmere Cream is based on our existing hand cream, Vanilla Dream. It’s very rich, indulgent, and warm — it’s just beautiful.” Key ingredients include “shea butter, which really boosts the skin’s moisture, and cocoa butter, which helps soften. It just envelops you in warmth and luxury and a silky smooth texture.” Island Peach Smoothing Silk Cream features notes of peach, honey and praline. “It’s another sweet-inspired scent, as we’ve seen that gourmand and “edible” scents are trending,” she explained. “Vitamin C helps visibly smooth and even skin texture, Vitamin E helps protect against environmental aggressors, and glycerin deeply hydrates.”
Dobkiewicz admits to having a personal favorite: “Cherry Crush is a hydrating gel cream. I just love it. It has notes of cherry, peony and raspberry. So it’s a fruity-floral mix. It quenches your skin’s thirst and just bursts into hydration. It’s soothing and lightweight on the skin, and has hyaluronic acid and niacinamide. It attracts and locks in moisture, and also helps to support the skin’s barrier.”
From a sustainability standpoint, the brand incorporates PCR (post-consumer recycled plastic) in its new packaging. “Our bottles have been updated, all of them, to incorporate PCR,” confirms Dobkiewicz. “We also try to eliminate any additional packaging, such as boxes, and we’re increasing the use of recyclable materials. And in the same way we’re thinking about sustainability with packaging, we’re doing the same with formulation. So we’re making sure that we’re committed to formulating with responsibly sourced ingredients, and we also don’t use parabens and phthalates in our formulas.”
Looking to the future, Prencipe says that Gold Bond will continue to meet new consumers where they are —online, as well as in person at activations. “When it comes to platforms, we’re probably most active behind Instagram and TikTok. They’re powerful drivers, where consumers are actively seeking those skin care solutions and inspiration,” she said. “It’s where those conversations are happening. As we refresh our social presence, we’re continuing to deepen our community engagement and show up authentically within those creator conversations.” But above all? “We’re going to be right there evolving with the needs of our consumers, engaging with them so we can continue to be that trusted source and partner in their skin care journey.”
For more information, visit https://www.goldbond.com
