Ataii Aesthetic MD came to us for paid ads support for their skincare line: a doctor-developed range founded by renowned San Diego physician and aesthetic expert Dr. Ataii. The brand’s roots trace back to 1965, when Dr. Ataii’s father, a chemist and pharmacist, developed an award-winning regenerative formula that gained international recognition. That legacy later informed Dr. Ataii’s own work, refining the original formula using modern science and technology.

During onboarding, the client was clear of the directive:

no fluff.

They wanted the product’s credibility, decades of formulation history, and clinically focused, doctor-led formulation to speak for itself. Their packaging reflects that simplicity. So does their business model: a direct-to-consumer online brand with no interest in retail, as doing so would require “watering down” the formula to meet retail regulations.

They wanted to keep it potent.

But potent alone doesn’t win the marketplace.

THE MARKET REALITY

Skincare is one of the most oversaturated categories in the beauty industry. And often, the truth is,

You have a better product, they have a better package; they win.

Clinical, minimal packaging can stand out; but it’s no longer new. Even the brightly coloured, trend-driven brands have started slapping “dermatologist-recommended” or “clinician-approved” labels on everything. Seriousness is no longer a differentiator on its own.

So instead of avoiding the crowded landscape, I looked directly at the patterns shaping it.

INSIGHT: LOOK TO OTHER BEAUTY INDUSTRIES

The strongest insight didn’t come from skincare at all. It came from other beauty categories.

When you look at hair, makeup, or fashion, every “trend” is defined by a desired outcome:

Thin brows to thick brows to laminated brows.
Big permed hair to pin-straight hair.
Glam 2016 glam to “clean girl” minimalism.

Each shift in outcome creates space for new products, because achieving a new look requires new tools. 

But skincare is the rare category where the core outcome has never changed:

The goal is, and has always been: clear and healthy skin.

Yes, skincare trends shift. From the St. Ives Apricot Scrub and Proactiv era, to today’s retinoid boom, SPF obsession, and the endless rotation of celebrity-owned lines. But no matter what is trending, what consumers want stays constant.

That realization shaped every creative decision that followed.

THE CHALLENGE WITH “NO FLUFF”

When your message is intentionally simple, you walk a fine line. Simple sits dangerously close to forgettable.

In theory, minimalistic packaging can stand out beautifully on a Sephora shelf, where surrounding products are loud, colourful, and crammed with buzzwords. In that context, simplicity can signal credibility and restraint.

But in a direct-to-consumer social feed, the context flips. Your ad is sandwiched between fast-paced, attention-grabbing content. And while established brands like Rhode or Paula’s Choice can afford minimalism through name recognition, for a newer brand, simplicity alone risks fading into the scroll unless it is paired with messaging that makes it matter.

So the question became: how do you stay “no fluff” while still being loud enough to get noticed?

THE STRATEGY

Lean into the no-fluff philosophy. But do it with edge.

Acknowledge the simplicity. Own it.
Play into it.
Almost make fun of it.

Because the truth is:

This product doesn’t contain a breakthrough ingredient no one’s used before. It won’t go viral for the packaging.

It probably won’t look impressive on your shelf, but it will stand out on your skin.

The formula blueprint itself has endured for over 60 years, outlasting countless skincare trends, which is more than you can say for products like the infamous St. Ives Apricot Scrub, Oxy pads, celebrity lines, or whatever’s trending on TikTok at the moment you’re reading this.

While it would’ve been easy to go the nostalgia route with ironic nods to those early 2000s skincare regrets we all bond over, I chose to keep the focus sharper.

The throughline became:

Longevity. Simplicity. A product that works.
Everything you need, nothing you don’t.

The creative strategy was built around that core truth, respecting the client’s desire for zero fluff while giving the brand the presence it needed to compete in a fast-moving digital space.