We let everyone know. No one knows skin, hair, and nails like a dermatologist.
Traditional and social media efforts are paying off.
The Academy’s Your Dermatologist Knows consumer positioning strategy has been a massive success. A multi-pronged approach to let the public know that only a board-certified dermatologist has the knowledge, experience, and experience necessary to treat skin, hair, and nail conditions, Your Dermatologist Knows is moving the needle when it comes to public perception of dermatology.
A major aspect of Your Dermatologist Knows is traditional media relations, and 2024 was a strong year in that regard. The Academy secured more than 11,600 placements in outlets that have an audience of 100,000 or more, highlighting the key role that dermatologists play in educating the public about skin, hair, and nail health. During that time, the Academy’s media relations outreach efforts resulted in 174 placements in high-profile publications, including 20 placements in the New York Times, 12 in USA Today, 10 in the Washington Post, and nine in HuffPo.
Some of the more notable high-profile media placements the Academy successfully secured during the fourth quarter of 2024 include:
Coverage of Good Morning America anchorman Sam Champion’s recent cancer diagnosis and treatment, underscoring the importance of seeking a board-certified dermatologist for any changing or suspicious skin issues. The topic — which was covered by Good Morning America, ABC, Parade, and Men’s Journal — featured Sam’s dermatologist, Anthony Rossi, MD, FAAD, who is a member of the Academy’s Media Expert Team.
A New York Times piece about what causes atopic dermatitis, highlighting dermatologists’ expertise in diagnosing and treating this common skin condition. The article featured Brittany Craiglow, MD, FAAD, and Shari Lipner, MD, FAAD, both members of the Academy’s Media Expert Team, as well as dermatologists JiaDe Yu, MD, FAAD, and Joy Wan, MD, FAAD.
An article in Healio about common sun-protection misconceptions, highlighting the importance of partnering with a board-certified dermatologist to prevent skin cancer. The article featured Academy President Seemal R. Desai, MD, FAAD.
You can see media placements from the full year online at www.aad.org/media-wins.
These media relations tactics positioned dermatologists as skin, hair, and nail experts and encouraged the public to visit aad.org/public to learn more about the conditions dermatologists treat and find a dermatologist in their area.
Another key component of Your Dermatologist Knows is the robust social media strategy.
The Academy’s social media team works with a team of member social media correspondents and several social media ambassadors to generate and distribute paid and organic content on the AAD’s Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok accounts, as well as paid content on Snapchat. The content is targeted toward women aged 25–35, the target demographic of the Your Dermatologist Knows strategy. In total, Your Dermatologist Knows-related social media content generated 125.2 million impressions and 20.4 million engagements in 2024. Be sure to follow the AAD’s social media accounts and share the content with your own followers!
Highlights of the AAD’s public social media efforts in 2024 include:
We added four new social media correspondents: Charlie Dunn, MD, FAAD, Preetha Kamath, MD, FAAD, Samantha Karlin, MD, FAAD, and Amit Om, MD, FAAD.
We covered relevant, trending topics on social media, such as beef tallow for skin care, counterfeit Botox, sunscreen misinformation, and at-home chemical peels.
We reached 100,000 followers on the @aadskin1 Instagram account.
We partnered with three patients to share their stories about the importance of seeing a board-certified dermatologist for the best care.
And the best part is, the efforts are paying off! A survey conducted last year showed that, when compared to nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the target demographic overwhelmingly prefers dermatologists, and the numbers show a significant increase from a survey conducted before Your Dermatologist Knows was launched. In addition, survey respondents are far more likely to visit a dermatologist if they’ve seen Your Dermatologist Knows-related content. Get more information about the strategy’s success.
The goal of Your Dermatologist Knows is clear. You’re the experts. We’re proving that to the public. And it’s working.
Top-performing social media content in 2024:
Top news stories the Academy generated in 2024:
Counterfeit injectables on the rise – 71 placements
Is your margarita giving you a rash – 30 placements
Gen Z is at an increased risk of skin cancer – 24 placements
AAD issues updated guidance on the management of acne – 20 placements
The teen/tween skin care trend – 14 placements
