Top Digital Advertising Channels for Body Aesthetic Brands in 2023

Purpose of This Research

• Determine which competitors are leading the investments in the digital advertising space.
• See which advertising channels competitors are prioritizing in the ad spend allocation.
• Understand what ad creatives and targeting parameters competitors are using to reach their audience.

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Competitors Analyzed

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Key Takeaways

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Brand Metrics

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Platform Metrics

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Total Ad Spend Over Time

April 2020 - March 2023

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From April 2020 to March 2023, the competitive set saw a total ad spend of $79.4M.

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April 2021 to March 2022 saw the highest ad budget at $33M. In this period, OTT was introduced into the budget and brands made peak investments into Paid Search and Display.

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The first and last periods saw -30% and -26% less budget allocation than the top period.

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From April 2020 to March 2021, all channels except Facebook and Paid Search saw the lowest advertising investment.

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From April 2022 to March 2023, Paid Search, the top ad spend driver, saw a -77% drop in ad investment.

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While there are no major seasonal trends, March ($4.7M), October ($4M) and June ($3.7M) 2021 saw the highest ad spends.

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In March 2021 ($4.7M budget), the top spend came from Botox Cosmetic’s $2.3M Paid Search investment.

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Ad Spend by Brand

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Botox represents 98% of the ad budget...

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…while the remaining brands represent 1% of the ad spend.

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Yearly Brand Spend Comparison

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Botox, EMSCULPT and Ultherapy all saw overall increases in ad spend over the three year period.

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EMSCULPT saw the highest spend increase at +151%. This is due to a +511% YoY spend increase ($39K to $196K) in Instagram from April 2021 to March 2022.

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truSculpt and Cynosure saw overall spend decreases. 

Cynosure decreased Display spend by nearly -100% ($56K to $253) while truSculpt removed all spends except Display.

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Ad Spend by Channel

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Paid Search saw the highest ad spend allocation amongst the competitive set at 40% of the budget ($32M).

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While Paid Search represents 40% of the ad budget, it has been trending down with a -23% decrease in ad spend from 2020 to 2023.

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While peaking in 2020-2021, Facebook has seen an overall -16% decrease in ad spend from 2020 to 2023.

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After being introduced to the budget in 2021, OTT has seen an overall +37% increase in ad spend from 2020 to 2023.

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Instagram has seen a steady but significant overall increase of +67% in ad spend from 2020 to 2023.

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While only representing 11% of the total budget, YouTube has seen the biggest overall growth at a +92% increase in ad spend.

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Display has seen the most stable allocation of ad spend over time, with an overall +27% increase from 2020 to 2023.

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Botox Cosmetics spent $78M in digital advertising from April 2020 to March 2023.

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Paid Search ($32M) and Facebook ($14M) saw the highest ad spend, representing 58% of Botox’s budget.

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Botox prioritized Desktop Paid Search ads over Mobile with 69% of the budget ($22M).

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Top Performing Examples

Paid Search Ad Tactics

• Visibility. Botox Cosmetics spent $18M on the ad title “BOTOX (onabotulintoxinA) - Official BOTOX Cosmetic Site”. The title is simple, aiming to get people already searching for Botox on their site.
• Technicalities. Top ads feature mentions of being FDA-approved and offering doctor consultations as a way to keep safety and transparency top of mind for browsers.
• Education. The second highest spend ad features the title “What is BOTOX Cosmetic?”. This aims to capture the attention of people looking to educate themselves on the subject. The description features goal-based copy such as “Start Talking about Your Goals” and “Find Out What You Could Expect”.

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On Facebook, link posts were the focus of ad creative formats*, with a $1.5M allocation.

*90% of ad spend featured uncaptured creatives.

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Top Performing Examples

Facebook Ad Tactics

• Contest. Botox promoted a $322K Instagram post about a competition to win $25K or a free Botox Cosmetic procedure. The giveaway was Mother’s Day themed, encouraging participants to share a picture of their mom online.
• All the Possibilities. The second-highest ad spend features a middle-aged woman with smooth and shiny skin. The copy encourages readers to “discover the possibilities”. While the call to action is to learn more, the sub-description calls for prospects to schedule a treatment.
• Consistent Branding. Botox Cosmetic’s ads all feature their branded purple colour with a focus on graphics over organic imagery.

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EMSCULPT spent $500K in digital advertising from April 2020 to March 2023.

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Instagram ($320K) and Display ($115K) saw the highest ad spend, representing 87% of EMSCULPT’s budget.

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EMSCULPT prioritized Instagram Story Post ads over all over formats with 77% of the budget ($171K).

*30% of of ad spend featured uncaptured creatives. Instagram Story Post Creatives are not available.

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Top Performing Examples

Instagram Ad Tactics

• Targeted Areas. While most ads allude to solving general aesthetic problems, EMSCULPT’s top ad spend focuses on fat loss in the facial region.
• Key Value Prop. EMSCULPT’s ads feature the distinct benefits of using their products such as time: “all in 20 minutes”, and technology “no needles, no fillers, no toxins”.
• Partner Highlights. In this ad, EMSCULPT highlights the benefits of having their technology at different aesthetic practices. Not only do they highlight a partner using their services but they demonstrate the technicians using the product themselves because they love it so much.

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EMSCULPT’s Display ads were primarily positioned on Desktop (77%) over Mobile.

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Top Performing Examples

Display Ad Tactics

• Same Ad, Different Font. EMSCULPT experiments with similar ad concepts presented in different ways. The main ad copy states “Empower confidence with EMSCULPT Neo: Introducing the most powerful non-surgical fat reduction and muscle toning treatment”.
• All Out. The top ad features a model’s toned midsection with a bright blue call-to-action button and matching blue fact callouts like “30% less fat”.
• Modest & Minimal. The second highest spend is a minimal version of the ad. It highlights a model in a sports bra, showing less skin, smiling with only one blue call to action and white, clean fact callouts.

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Ultherapy spent $340K in digital advertising from April 2020 to March 2023.

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Paid Search ($184K) and Instagram ($112K) saw the highest ad spend, representing 87% of Ultherapy’s budget.

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Ultherapy’s Paid Search ads were primarily positioned on Desktop ($143K) over Mobile ($41K).

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Top Performing Examples

Paid Search Ad Tactics

• Purpose. Ultherapy is targeting people specifically looking for “Lifting”. They are intentional about specifying that they are “FDA-Cleared”. Ad copy aims to share what the product does such as “improves lines & wrinkles on the upper chest”.
• Non-Invasive. Both ad copies focus on how the Ultherapy product is non-invasive, prioritizing the fact that it is “ultrasound not surgery”. They even aim to differentiate by stating they are a “non-invasive alternative for those not ready for surgery”.
• Doctor Near You. The second top ad spend highlights the local component of the product being near prospects through various dealers.

*Ad spend for highlighted Paid Search ad title with primary Description examples.

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Instagram Story Post ($55K) and Photo Post ($25K) ads saw the highest ad allocation at 95% of the budget.

*26% of of ad spend featured uncaptured creatives. Instagram Story Post Creatives are not available.

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Top Performing Examples

Instagram Ad Tactics

• Luxury. Ultherapy’s Instagram ads portray a level of luxury and glamour that other competitors do not. Models in ads wear formal evening attire with strong makeup.
• Rhyming. The copy in the top Instagram ad spend features the tagline “Get all swag, no sag.” This is a simple way to communicate brand voice while helping prospects remember the brand.
• Ad Imagery Text. The second highest ad spend focuses on the side of a model’s face with the text “Q: What’s a safe, effective, non-invasive lift?”. This aims to communicate the easy, ultrasound-supported technology they use to help provide the results clients are looking for.

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Cynosure spent $224K in from April 2020 to March 2023. Paid Search and Display were the only channels used for advertising during this period.

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Cynosure’s Paid Search ads were primarily positioned on Desktop (69%) over Mobile.

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Top Performing Examples

Paid Search Ad Tactics

• Business Relationships. Cynosure prioritizes marketing to businesses over end-users.
• Finding Partners. Cynosure takes a visibility approach where they aim to find partners to be present in many establishments instead of trying to market directly to people who may use their product. They prefer to already be in offices where clients who already do cosmetic procedures are doing business.
• Better for the Business. Cynosure places heavy emphasis on business access to free training and marketing materials as well as top-class customer service and support. They communicate that their product is not only the best but a smooth and easy transition to apply to new practices.

*Ad spend for highlighted Paid Search ad title with primary Description examples.

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Cynosure prioritized Desktop Display ads over Mobile with 85% of the budget ($60K).

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Top Performing Examples

Display Ad Tactics

• In Use. Cynosure’s top display ad is the only one featuring an example of the actual product in use. Other brands have only alluded to the product and what it looks like, but focus more so on the benefits.
• Youth. Instead of talking specifically about the benefits of the product like “toned stomach” or “no lines”, Cynosure aims to convince prospects to get back to a more “youthful appearance”.
• Well-Educated. The second highest ad spend features a microneedling product with very little information about what it is or what it does. This ad is most likely geared toward an audience that already does cosmetic procedures. Cynosure doesn’t feature their brand name but instead their branded product “Potenza”.

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truSculpt saw the lowest ad spend of the set, allocating $4K in digital advertising from April 2020 to March 2023.

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Facebook ($1.7K) and Display ($1.6K) saw the highest ad spend, representing 81% of truSculpt’s budget.

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On Facebook, link posts were the focus of ad creative formats, with a $1.7K allocation.

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Top Performing Examples

Facebook Ad Tactics

• A/B Testing. truSculpt tested two identical ad creatives with different descriptions on Facebook. Ad copy that highlighted specific benefits performed better than generalized benefits.
• Specific Benefits. Similar to Cynosure, truSculpt focuses on advertising directly to doctors. The first ad copy features the benefits of the product such as “3 unique treatment options to 8 areas simultaneously”.
• Generalized Benefits. The second ad copy leverages less specific text that focuses more on the general idea that doctors can provide ‘personalized’ treatments to their patients.

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truSculpt prioritized Desktop Display ads over Mobile with 62% of the budget ($1K).

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Top Performing Examples

Display Ad Tactics

• Social Proof. Similar to truSculpt’s Facebook ads, the brand also tested Display ad creatives with before and after imagery. They kept the top half of the ads similar with noticeable changes in the imagery on the bottom.
• Immediate Changes. In the top ad spend for Display, truSculpt shows a before and after with changes immediately after the procedure.
• Sustainable Changes. In the second ad, truSculpt shows the impact of their procedure not immediately, but 1 week after to show that it doesn’t just go back to normal right away.

*Digital Advertising Data Source Caveat
‍*Stars represent the top spend or growth within the column.

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