How Collistar made Magic Drops go viral with UGC and TikTok

D2C (Direct-2-Consumer)

Social

2,5x higher

video completion rate compared to the Instagram benchmark

+172%

increase in Instagram followers

+58%

reach vs. expected benchmark (TikTok)

+30%

brand recall vs. previous campaigns (TikTok)

What?

Objective and strategy

The goal of this campaign was clear: to increase brand awareness for Collistar’s Magic Drops in the Dutch market, entirely through social advertising. Since sales occur via third parties, the focus was on indirect metrics such as search volume, social engagement, and visibility across digital platforms.

We opted for an authentic approach with User-Generated Content (UGC) at the core. Real users showcased how Magic Drops fit into their daily routines — relatable, credible, and perfectly aligned with the lifestyle of our target audience. Thanks to real-time optimisation based on TikTok comments and search trends, our message remained relevant and up to date.

A smart mix of TikTok Top Feed and In-Feed Ads maximised exposure, while Instagram ThruPlay and Reach campaigns drove deeper engagement. Cross-platform remarketing created a consistent user experience, reinforcing the message across multiple moments and channels.

Awards

European Search Award 2025

Best Social Media Campaign (Large)

Global Social Media Award 2025

Best Use of UGC

How?

Approach and creativity

The campaign revolved around scalable UGC: authentic content with real impact.

TikTok Ads: Top Feed Ads captured attention instantly, while In-Feed Ads provided depth and sustained engagement.
Instagram Video: Focused on maximising watch time and interaction through ThruPlay and Reach.
Smart content adaptations: TikTok search trends and comments guided our real-time optimisations.
Trend activation: We quickly tapped into the viral “broccoli freckles” trend — a niche moment that drove 1.3x more engagement than standard UGC and sparked organic conversations.
A/B Testing: Longer videos performed better on brand recall and CTR. Creator-led content delivered 35% higher CTRs than product-only visuals.
Interactive Instagram Stories: Polls and reaction stickers encouraged active engagement.

Challenges and solutions

Measuring impact without direct conversions: We focused on smart proxy metrics such as search volume and engagement to assess performance.
Ad fatigue in premium placements: Frequent content rotation kept the campaign fresh, relevant and engaging.
Shifting search behaviour: TikTok started overtaking Google as a discovery platform. Our strategy adapted accordingly, with a flexible focus on TikTok-first activation.

“It was impressive to see them achieving such strong results for their clients. We particularly enjoyed the creativity behind the campaign and the visual flowcharts used to illustrate the process. The excellent use of UGC, TikTok-native strategies, and platform-specific storytelling stood out. This campaign struck a perfect balance between creativity, agility, and data-driven optimisation.”
Jury Quote - European Search Awards 2025: Best Social Media Campaign (Large)

Results and impact

Instagram:

+411% profile visits
+172% follower growth
2.5x higher video completion rate than standard branding campaigns
35% higher CTR on creator-led visuals

TikTok:

+30% brand recall compared to previous campaigns
1.3x more engagement on the broccoli freckles video
+58% reach compared to the expected benchmark
Sustained increase in search volume for “Magic Drops” and “Collistar,” surpassing a key competitor

"This was an exceptionally clever campaign, skillfully leveraging remarketing and implementing a well-thought-out measurement strategy to demonstrate commercial impact, even without direct conversion metrics. By putting real users at the forefront, it achieved a relatable and trustworthy feel which is no easy feat in the skincare industry. The outstanding results truly speak for themselves"
Jury Quote - Global Social Media Award 2025: Best Use of UGC

High-performing UGC: Collistar scores double win

The social campaign for Collistar’s Magic Drops secured two major awards: a European Search Award for Best Social Media Campaign (Large) and a Global Social Media Award for Best Use of UGC. A strong recognition of an approach where community-first content, smart trend activation and scalable UGC come together to consistently boost brand preference, visibility and engagement.

All awards

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