THE CHALLENGE

According to research published by the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, less than 6% of image-based search results show skin conditions on people of color, and when Black and Hispanic people don’t feel seen in search, they are less likely to be seen by a dermatologist – leading to 25% higher mortality rates for life-threatening conditions like skin cancer.

To address this problem, we created the first-of-its-kind search platform, See My Skin, the only database designed to search conditions on skin of color.

In the campaign, we committed to raising awareness of the racially biased systems that impact algorithmic search, providing proper representation and access to equal care, and most of all, helping these communities be seen.

THE STRATEGY

The strategic objective of See My Skin was to take the guess work out of our audience’s discovery by providing unbiased, culturally competent resources along the path to diagnosis.

To engage the target audience of Black and Hispanic people, ages 25-44, we aggregated thousands of images of hundreds of conditions on Black and Brown skin, building the world’s most diverse medical image library. Each image was independently evaluated for accuracy and relevance by a board of certified dermatologists.

THE EXECUTION

In partnership with with VisualDx and HUED, Vaseline® developed an unparalleled search experience for people of color.

Cataloguing the world’s most diverse medical image library was a true collaboration between a network of dermatologists, medical librarians, software engineers and imaging specialists. From inception to development, it took nearly three years to create. Now, See My Skin lives online as the only database designed to search conditions on skin of color and connect users directly to dermatologists for treatment. As part of a continued effort for greater representation, we built an upload tool allowing visitors to add an image of their diagnosed skin condition in real-time, to be vetted and added to the growing database.

Together, we broke down barriers to equitable care and did what search engines and the industry have failed to do: address the longstanding bias and exclusion of people of color in skin care.

THE OUTCOME

Within the first two weeks, See My Skin organically earned visibility for over 50 unique key words and generated more than 6,000 visits.

We helped people in the moment they needed it most, with 59% of organic views coming from users searching for a specific skin image or skin related concern.

Not only did we prove that helping people feel seen was the best way to help them get seen, Vaseline®’s efforts have so far created 3.1 million equitable skin care experiences for patients and dermatologists.