The branded subreddit that became their #1 social referral source
A Korean skincare brand entering the US needed a community hub, not just another campaign. We launched a semi-official UGC space with routine tips, product launches, and weekly contests. Six months in, it drove 47% of the brand's social referral traffic and showed up in ChatGPT answers for key product terms.
Client:Korean Skincare Brand
Industry:Beauty & Skincare / DTC
Duration:6 months
The challenge
Building a US community from zero against established incumbents
A Korean skincare brand wanted to break into the crowded US beauty market. Paid acquisition was expensive and short-lived. Existing beauty subreddits were saturated and hostile to new brands. They needed an authentic community hub where customers could talk to each other, and to the brand, without feeling sold to.
Zero US brand awareness
The brand was well-known in Korea but invisible in the US. Paid ads were costly and didn't build lasting equity.
Saturated skincare discussion landscape
Existing beauty subreddits were dominated by established brands and skeptical of newcomers. Breaking in as a brand voice was nearly impossible.
No natural community home
Customers were scattered across Instagram, TikTok, and general skincare forums. There was no central place where brand fans could gather and talk.
The solution
How we turned a new brand into a skincare community destination
We launched a semi-official branded subreddit with the brand team as named mods, established a UGC-first posting culture, and turned product launches into community events with founder AMAs.
Semi-official launch with brand team as named mods
Built the subreddit around real, named brand team members, not a faceless corporate account.
Weekly UGC contests and routine-share threads
Turned community members into content creators through structured weekly rituals.
Product launches as community events with founder AMAs
Made every product launch a community moment, not a corporate announcement.
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The process
Project Timeline
1
Launch
Month 1Subreddit setup, branding, rules, flair, founder welcome post, and initial seed content
2
Seed
Month 2-3Established weekly content rituals, first UGC contests, and brand team voice
3
Growth
Month 4-6First founder AMA, product launch integration, and cross-channel promotion
The results
A community that made the brand feel native to US skincare
The branded subreddit became the brand's top single social referral source and the centerpiece of their US community strategy.
8,500+
Members at 6 months
↑ From zero
47%
Social referral share
↑ Top single channel
12 terms
AI citations
↑ in ChatGPT for brand queries
Additional Outcomes
- ✓UGC contest format became the brand's top customer engagement mechanic
- ✓Subreddit content ranked in Google top 3 for 140+ long-tail skincare queries
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Let's discuss how we can help your brand achieve these outcomes.