Dermalogica: A real, honest film where nothing was skin-deep!

The key to making a good film is remembering that one size does not fit all. An entertaining film may work for a fun product or where impulse drives purchase. Emotional treatment may be the way to go in certain other products; maybe slice of life at other times; could even be educational where the brand demanded it.

So what treatment did we give a film whose product was very serious, health-related skincare?

The product and client brief was very clear. This was a serious product for a knowledgeable, health-conscious audience. The brand was renowned as a world leader in skincare. Flippancy was out; the film had to be delivered with the science and seriousness that defined the brand itself.

The mandate was to remain true and transparent just like the product – which was a precise and scientific skincare process. Neha Dhupia was the protagonist and her casting could not have been more precise. Here was an actor who built her craft on being realistic and no-nonsense. Besides, she was already using the brand, and personally endorsed it unsolicited even before coming on board as brand ambassador. She fitted the brand personality perfectly!

We extended the mandate into everything we did for the film. The ‘specialists’ who appeared in the film were real skincare therapists from the client’s side. What they did in the film was what they did in real life, on a daily basis. In fact, we were so meticulous about staying ‘true’ and ‘transparent’, it was the real thing even in the shoot and post-production… No make-up was used; the processes, applications and facility were real; there was no colour grading or colour correction.

The result: A film that mirrored and leveraged the brand personality so accurately, it delivered entirely believable and honest results. What you see is what you get!