• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, Yesterday

CeraVe has a knack for hijacking internet culture with marketing moves that feel organic, not over-orchestrated. After the brand's much-lauded “Michael CeraVe” stunt won awards—and drove impressive sales—this new campaign leans even harder into fan-driven mythmaking.

Enter Sarah V, a sassy goat mascot designed to personify the campaign's “GOATed by the people” tagline. Born in social media comments, the campaign taps into social fandom while reinforcing CeraVe’s skin-science bona fides and drugstore accessibility.

Jasteena Gill, CeraVe’s senior vice president of marketing, explains why goats are funny, how the brand listens without chasing trends, and why affordability may be its stealthiest strength.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Marketing Daily: So…a goat? How did that idea even get started?

Jasteena Gill: This campaign manifested itself on its own through our consumers. In Reddit threads, TikTok comments, and even in our organic channels, people started calling us the GOAT—greatest of all time—for their skincare. So we thought, what better way to celebrate that than to literally bring it to life. But here’s the key: you don’t self-proclaim GOAT status. You’re given it. We wanted to reflect that fan energy in a fun, surprising way.

Marketing Daily: We seem to be in a mascot moment, like the WNBA’s Ellie and Duolingo’s Duo. What made a sassy mascot feel like the right move for CeraVe?

Gill: Goats are funny! And with so many of our fans already personifying the brand in creative ways, we thought a mascot would be a fun next step. Mascots are having a moment—especially ones that dance, emote, and pop up in unexpected places. Sarah V helps us meet fans where they are and gives them something to engage with offline. She’s already getting love from consumers who want selfies and interact with her on the street. It’s been immediate.

Marketing Daily:  Sarah V is clearly a she, which is interesting, given how much you’ve done to reach male consumers lately, like ads featuring Anthony Davis.

Gill: The name “Sarah V” felt like such a natural fit. It connects to the brand name and just makes sense. It’s great to have a fun, cheeky female mascot who reflects a big part of our user base. And in this case, the campaign is explicitly tied to our facial moisturizers, which do skew more female in usage.

Marketing Daily:  “Michael CeraVe” was such a hit. How do you keep momentum going without trying to one-up it every time?

Gill: That’s always the challenge—how to keep engagement high without just trying to top yourself. Our approach is to stay close to what consumers are already doing and saying. They give us the clues. People were already personifying our products, making fan art and memes. So when we do something like Sarah V or “Fan Pharmacy,” it’s a way of saying, "We see you. Thanks for loving us."

Marketing Daily:  Tell us more about “Fan Pharmacy,” which you developed with WPP Onefluence, led by Ogilvy PR. How did that work?

Gill: “Fan Pharmacy” was about giving back to our fans—and anchoring it in our medical heritage. We’ve always had deep relationships with dermatologists and pharmacists. So we created these surprise moments where people walked into a store looking for CeraVe and ended up in a celebration—with dermatologists, the mascot, free product, and fellow fans. It was a way to thank the people who made us No. 1 in facial moisturizers.

Marketing Daily:  You don’t talk much about pricing, but your $20 moisturizer is a far cry from prestige brands. That has to resonate right now.

Gill: It does. From the beginning, affordability has been a core part of our mission. Dermatologists must feel confident recommending something their patients can afford and stick with. Compliance and long-term usage matter, especially when dealing with skin issues. So we’ve always aimed to be accessible—and keep that strong pharmacy and drugstore presence. That hasn’t changed.

Marketing Daily:  What would you say CeraVe’s superpower is—especially for marketers outside beauty? Is it social listening?

Gill: Honestly, it’s the combination of two things. First, we deliver. Without results and dermatologist trust, we wouldn’t still be here. That’s what gives the brand staying power. And second, our fans are incredible. They’ve given us so much inspiration. We just try to listen, celebrate them, and turn those sparks into campaigns.