Apotek Hjärtat has an open brief that simply states their mission - to educate and promote public health among Swedes.

In the light of the growing Sephora Kids trend where young girls use advanced skin products Apotek Hjärtat wanted to be a force for change and educate about the problematic phenomenon.

This campaign is also more than just about protecting young skin, it’s about addressing beauty standards and how they’re affecting girls as young as eight years old.

The objective was to spark a debate and send a clear message to the beauty and pharmaceutical industry. As well as continue to build Apotek Hjärtat as the caring, educational and disruptive pharmacy chain.

When the Sephora Kids trend began to grow in Sweden lots of people started talking about the absurdity of young girls using expensive, unnecessary, and potentially harmful skin care products. Media overflowed with opinion pieces. But no one seemed to have a solution for it, they were just baffled by the fact.

Apotek Hjärtat believes in taking action and a great responsibility in order to promote public health among Swedes. So naturally they wanted to say, and most importantly do, something in regards to this problematic trend and health issue. So we came up with the most obvious - and bold - solution. One that would prove to influence and change an entire industry.

We changed the business model of the largest pharmacy chain in Sweden and put an age restriction on advanced skincare products restricting people under fifteen from buying products meant for mature skin.

Apotek Hjärtat constantly addresses health concerns like menopause at work, pharmaceutical emissions and cancer detection through self-exams via media outlets. We stay abreast of public health trends, educating for a healthier Sweden through our expert pharmacists in media. The “Sephora Kids” trend in Sweden sparked a debate that we wanted to challenge, prioritizing societal well-being over profit.

Our stance was clear: skincare routines is not for children. Apotek Hjärtats CEO led this message, underlining the gravity of the decision. This move aimed to influence all stakeholders.

We secured immediate media visibility with exclusive pitches, positioning us at the forefront of the discourse. Pharmacy staff nationwide became local advocates, bringing a regional dimension to the narrative. This strategic communication culminated in international outreach, asserting our role as domestic change-makers.

A short press release and a some-post. That’s it!

Just as the strategy is straightforward, so is the execution of this initiative. The key to success lied in the disruptive strategy, the brand's positioning, and the ideal timing based on the growing cultural debate.

After the initiative was released in Sweden, we followed up in the following days with interviews with local media across the country. With the massive Swedish breakthrough as leverage, selected international media and key journalists were contacted. Relevant foreign correspondents in Sweden were informed at the same time as we followed up with the biggest global media that had recently reported on the issues with the phenomenon

The initiative trended in Swedish media for weeks with follow-up articles on how all other relevant players should act, columns about the consequences of social media going too far, interviews with various types of skin care experts, editorials on who bears the responsibility, and competitors who followed suit.

Beyond enhancing the wellbeing of the youth, the main goal was to bolster the brand's image among customers, employees, potential employees, industry bodies, and society's decision-makers. Without complete metrics, initial signs indicate the initiative has had a considerable influence.

Swedish media universally covered the case, with 374 features in Sweden alone, all positive towards the initiative. About 90 percent included Apotek Hjärtat in the opening and the logo in images. The subsequent international pitch resulted in over 400 features across the world. Key global outlets like French Elle and Femme Actuelle, the Guardian, Vanity Fair, and Der Spiegel, fueled further development, reaching an estimated 1.2 billion people.

The initiative broke all records for engagement on Apotek Hjärtat’s social media as well as on their internal network. At the time, Apotek Hjärtat’s advertised job-positions hit record application numbers that indicates the potential impact on the employer brand.

The industry association for cosmetics and hygiene companies convened an extra meeting to discuss measures. Competitors followed with similar age limits, and the major skin care actors in Sweden will introduce warnings on their products as a direct result. Members of the Swedish Parliament’s Social Committee praised the initiative, and the Swedish FDA issued a statement titled "Has your child's skincare routine gone overboard?".

A heartwarming endorsement came from Karlskrona, Sweden, where mothers sought pharmacy staff autographs.

This initiative has been warmly received, gaining traction across the globe, hopefully kick-starting a journey toward change.

Because the kids are worth it to paraphrase...