O'Cera
Brand Platform for a Pharmaceutical Skincare Launch
ROLE
Art Direction . Brand Strategy . Creative Direction . UI/UX Design
AGENCY
WEBQLO, pitch Dec 2023
CLIENT
Xepa-Soul Pattinson
(Apex Healthcare Berhad)
MARKET
Malaysian & Singaporean consumers, dry and sensitive skin category
PROPOSAL CREATIVE
I designed the full responsive website, from information, page hierarchy, content structure, and visual direction built around the audience trust journey rather than a standard product catalogue.
WEBSITE
HOME PAGE
PRODUCT PAGE
SOCIAL CONTENT
BRIEF
Xepa-Soul Pattinson has been making pharmaceuticals in Malaysia for over 55 years. O'Cera was their first move into consumer skincare: a ceramide-based range for dry and sensitive skin, targeting everyday Malaysians rather than healthcare professionals.
They had solid formulations and a serious parent company behind them. What they didn't have was a consumer-facing brand. No positioning, no campaign idea, no reason for someone browsing the pharmacy aisle to reach for this over the dozen other moisturisers next to it.
I led the creative direction on the full brand proposal: big idea, positioning, content strategy, website, and campaign platform.
THE CHALLENGE
New name in a
crowded category
Breaking into dry/sensitive skincare against established brands like Cetaphil and QV, with zero brand recognition.
Science that
needed warmth
Pharmaceutical heritage signals credibility to clinicians. Consumer skincare needs something more human.
A sceptical audience
that needs trust
Malaysians with chronic dry skin had heard every promise before. Generic claims weren't going to cut it.
FINDINGS
Eczema and dry skin top Malaysian search trends
Google Trends data showed "eczema" leading searches, closely followed by "dry skin", indicating that skin concerns are a category with active, high-intent demand.
The cause is environmental, not just genetic
Tropical heat, humidity, air conditioning, and UV exposure are structural contributors to dry skin in Malaysia. Consumers need consistent daily care, not occasional treatment.
Existing buyers already trusted it for serious conditions
Early Shopee and Lazada reviews mentioned eczema, rashes, sensitive skin, and use on babies, proving the formulation worked, but the brand hadn't caught up to what users already knew.
The competitive gap
Most competitors were positioned around targeted, short-term relief. Nobody owned everyday care.
STRATEGY
Position o'cera around consistent daily care instead of dramatic results.
COMPETITORS
Promised fixes
Led with clinical authority
Earn the science credibility through upfront claims.
O'CERA
Promise comfort
Lead with understanding
Earn the science credibility through ingredient education
The brand needed to speak to the experience of living with difficult skin before it earned the right to talk about solving it.
WHAT I BUILT
Content Strategy
Three content pillars across social and editorial. 12-month content roadmap. Skin Tips section designed to build authority before the product ask.
Website Mock
Concept direction I proposed for a full responsive design. Information are structured around the audience trust journey of "educate, connect, convert", instead of product-first.
Campaign Platform
Sampling launch campaign, Eczema Awareness Month activation, KOL strategy across doctor and dermatologist influencers.
Visual Identity Direction
Moodboard, social template system, and art direction aligned to packaging colours for shelf-to-screen consistency.
Most skincare brands sell the skin you want. I wanted to talk about the skin you actually live in.
People with dry or sensitive skin aren't looking for transformation, they're looking to be understood. The insight: they don't want to be fixed. They want to be cared for.
"Happy Skin Days" names the feeling most skincare brands ignore: ordinary days when your skin just isn't the problem.
TONE & MANNER
Informative
Approachable
Warm
We’re celebrating skin happiness and promoting o'cera's clinically proven solutions for skin concerns, inviting you to be part of the journey towards healthier, happier skin.
VISUAL DIRECTION
CONTENT & PLATFORM STRATEGY
Social Media Platform : Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
The social strategy was built around three content pillars, each doing a different job in the audience relationship. A 12-month content roadmap was developed with post objectives, content type, and production requirements mapped out across the full year.
Product education
-
Ingredient stories
-
Science behind ceramides
-
How the formulation works
-
Builds authority.
Campaign activation
-
Sampling mechanics
Audience recognition
-
Content that reflects the experience of living with dry or sensitive skin.
-
Builds trust.
#BeatTheItch
-
Community engagement
-
KOL content
Lifestyle
-
Happy Skin Days as an emotional platform.
-
Warmth and connection.
Performance
-
Paid social creative for awareness and conversion objectives
-
Distinct messaging for each stage of the funnel.
OUTCOME
I presented the proposal to Xepa-Soul Pattinson in December 2023, however I left the agency before the client made a decision. The proposal was approved, and the brand launched in 2024. Execution was completed by the agency after I left.
Live website: ocera-skincare.com
CONTRIBUTIONS
Art Direction · Creative Strategy · Brand Positioning · Content Architecture · Website Design · Campaign Ideation Carmen Tan | Copywriting Aqlah Zailan
Agency Webqlo Sdn. Bhd.
Client Xepa-Soul Pattinson (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd
