THE BRAND

This pH-based skincare brand was developed as a new skincare brand targeting Gen Z consumers within the highly competitive beauty and personal care market. QNY Creative was engaged to build the brand from the ground up, including product strategy, brand architecture, naming systems, and packaging direction. Claudia Hickey served as Product and Brand Marketing Lead Specialist, overseeing the strategic foundation and guiding the brand from concept through award recognized design execution.

THE CHALLENGE

The skincare market is saturated with visually similar brands and vague functional claims, particularly in the Gen Z segment. The brand needed to clearly communicate scientific credibility while remaining approachable, visually distinct, and relevant to a younger audience that expects personalization and clarity. The challenge was to create a brand system that balanced data driven skincare science with strong shelf presence and intuitive product navigation.

THE BREAKDOWN

As Product and Brand Marketing Lead Specialist, Claudia Hickey held end to end responsibility for defining and shaping the skincare brand. Her role included:

• Leading market research and competitive analysis within the aging and pH balanced skincare category

• Defining the brand mission, positioning, and strategic narrative

• Developing the full product architecture and naming system across hero products
  and boosters

• Translating consumer insight and data into a clear brand strategy that guided
  creative direction

• Directing collaboration between strategy, design, and packaging partners to
  ensure alignment from concept to execution

Her approach combined structured research with creative direction, ensuring that every visual and verbal decision reflected a clear product purpose and consumer need.

STRATEGIC EXECUTION

Claudia Hickey executed the brand by translating market research and consumer insight into a clear, cohesive brand system. She analyzed the Gen Z skincare category, focusing on purchasing behavior, ingredient understanding, and expectations around personalization, using these insights to define the brand’s positioning, tone of voice, and core messaging.

She developed the brand framework and product architecture, ensuring that each SKU fit logically within the overall system. Claudia authored the product naming strategy and key copy, shaping how scientific concepts such as pH balance were communicated in a way that felt accessible and relevant to the target audience.
 

Working in close coordination with QNY Creative’s design team and external packaging partners, Claudia guided visual and packaging decisions to ensure alignment with the brand strategy. She collaborated on color segmentation, packaging hierarchy, and on-pack messaging so each product stood out on shelf while remaining clearly connected to the broader beauty brand.
 

This structured, research-driven approach to brand building reflects the same methodology Claudia applied across other beauty projects, including Lisa Hanna Beauty, where she similarly connected founder vision, consumer insight, and creative execution into a unified brand foundation.

RESULTS & RECOGNITION

The beauty brand received international recognition for packaging and brand design, including:

• NYX Advertising and Design Award for Packaging Design Series

• MUSE Design Award for Packaging Design Beauty and Personal Care

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These awards reflect the effectiveness of the strategic foundation and brand

system Claudia Hickey led, validating the work at an international industry level.