Larissa Manoela and Maisa star in Carmed campaign – 10/10/2023 – Market

He was known for the anti-flu Cimegripe and the Lavitan line of vitamins. But exactly five months ago, Cimed began to take a different trajectory in its 46-year history.

The launch of the Fini version of Carmed lip balm elevated the traditional pharmaceutical laboratory to the status of an internet celebrity: the product became a rage among children and teenagers, aged 6 to 16.

“Today we have a 60-day waiting list to supply pharmacies,” he told Sheet the president of Cimed, João Adibe Marques.

On October 5th, the laboratory held its first live commerce for pharmacies, in order to announce two new versions of the product, this time, without Fini: a tutti-frutti flavor in pink glitter, and another kissy flavor with SPF 30. Sold R$40 million in 20 minutes.

“We had to suspend live commerce, because I would no longer be able to deliver”, says Marques, who was attended by actresses Larissa Manoela and Maisa at the event.

The two are the influencers hired to promote the two new products on Instagram and TikTok. On this last social network alone, the stars together have more than 100 million followers.

Considering only these two new versions of Carmed, whose line was named BFF, Cimed plans to earn R$100 million this year and is investing R$5 million in marketing.

The product’s sales success has increased sales across the entire category in recent months, according to Marques.

“The lip balm market in Brazil used to be 1 million units per month. Now it is at 5 million”, says the executive, citing figures audited by the consultancy firm IQVIA, specialized in the pharmaceutical market.

Sales of Nivea, its main competitor, rose from 650,000 units per month to 1 million, while Carmed, which sold around 100,000 moisturizers per month, now reached the level of 3.2 million units per month, he said.

The suggested price of Carmed is R$30. But on marketplaces, a 10-gram tube is sold for up to R$58. “We don’t sell it on the internet,” says Marques. “Our customers are pharmacies who, eventually, can resell the product.”

The product has been around for six years, but was only discovered after a partnership with Fini

Cimed’s lip moisturizer is nothing new: it was launched six years ago. But it was only after the partnership with the sweets manufacturer Fini that sales took off.

“Fini approached us to distribute its products in pharmacies”, says Marques, remembering that Cimed has 26 distribution centers, which serve around 98% of the country’s pharmacies.

“When we asked which brand’s candies sold the most, we realized that we could use the flavors in Carmed,” he says.

According to the executive, it took nine months to develop the lip balm, which had the support of Fini, to whom Cimed paid royalties for the use of the brand.

This is how Carmed Fini Bananas, Kisses and Dentures were born, with the same names as the gelatin candies. The girls started collecting the brand’s flavors, which also has a sweet apple version (without Fini).

The launch of the product, in May, did not include a marketing campaign. One of the customers, Raia Drogasil, purchased a large batch.

“From then on, consumers started posting the moisturizer on social media in a completely organic, non-sponsored way”, says the executive, son of Cimed’s founder, João de Castro Marques.

“We had to adapt the production lines from one moment to the next, there was a lack of tubes for so much demand”, says the president of Cimed, which has two factories in Pouso Alegre (MG) and 5,500 employees.

“The brand already has half a billion views on TikTok, with many fan clubs. There are people giving Carmed as a souvenir at children’s parties. I’ve even seen Carmed costumes,” he says.

For this year, the laboratory’s expectation is to earn R$3 billion, an increase of 20% over 2022.

As success on social media can be ephemeral, Marques states that Cimed already has a launch plan for Carmed until 2025.

“Our challenge is to go beyond fashion and explain to the public the need to use lip balm. After all, we are a laboratory, we take care of people’s health.”