It has been about six months since Lauren Weinberg joined Supergoop! as chief marketing officer, stepping into the role amid a period of leadership transition for the 21-year-old sunscreen brand. Founded in 2005 by Holly Thaggard after a close friend’s skin cancer diagnosis, Supergoop! was built on a dual mission to prevent skin cancer and to make sunscreen an enjoyable part of daily skincare. Thaggard stepped back from the company’s day-to-day operations last year.
In an increasingly crowded SPF market, Supergoop! has differentiated itself by positioning sunscreen as skincare rather than a seasonal afterthought. Its portfolio spans daily moisturizers, primers, skin tints and lip products, with innovations like its clear, lightweight “Unseen” formulas helping redefine user experience. The brand (which is separate from Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle brand, Goop) has also expanded into performance-oriented products through its PLAY line, designed for active,
That positioning aligns with a persistent public health gap. One in five Americans will develop skin cancer by age 70, yet daily sunscreen use remains low. At the same time, demand is rising among younger consumers, with Gen Z driving growth in the sun care category.
Weinberg, who previously led marketing at Peloton, arrives as Supergoop! looks to build on this momentum. In a conversation with Observer in June, Weinberg discussed her first major campaign, Summer of PLAY, and how Supergoop! is working to reach a new generation of consumers while advancing its long-standing mission to make sun protection a daily habit rather than a chore.
The following conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Observer: What drew you to Supergoop! at this point in your career, and what about the brand’s mission resonated most?
Lauren Weinberg: I’ve been a Supergoop! user for six or seven years. I first discovered it on a ski trip in Aspen with my family and have used it ever since. I have sensitive skin, and it’s historically been difficult to find products that work well for me, so I immediately fell in love with the formulas.
When I started thinking about my next move, it was important to join a mission-driven company. I believe deeply in Supergoop!’s purpose. I’ve also moved across sectors throughout my career—from media to fintech to fitness—and was excited to enter beauty. The common thread has always been working for brands where I feel personally invested in the mission, and Supergoop! fits that perfectly.
Supergoop!’s Unseen and PLAY franchises have long been key growth drivers. How have you approached evolving and marketing these pillars since joining?
My major focus has been building campaigns around our hero franchises, Unseen and PLAY, which have historically driven much of the brand’s growth. As we expand into new retail channels, it’s critical to introduce new customers to what sets Supergoop! apart. We launched a campaign around Unseen and are now in our Summer of PLAY campaign, both designed to spotlight these products and educate consumers.
We’ve also made significant shifts in distribution. We launched in Target in February and expanded to Amazon’s Premium Beauty storefront in May—both Herculean lifts for the team.
Finally, we’re continuing to lean into culture and partnerships, which have always been core to the brand. Our partnerships with the PGA Tour and Alterra Mountain Company help keep us relevant year-round while reinforcing our mission to make SPF a daily essential.
In an increasingly crowded SPF category, how does Supergoop! continue to differentiate itself?
Supergoop! has been in the category for nearly 20 years and helped redefine how people think about sun protection by positioning it as the foundation of a skincare routine.
That differentiation started with innovation: creating high-quality, lightweight formulas that feel good on the skin. That remains a core part of our DNA. Our products are designed to feel like an extension of your skin, not something heavy or unpleasant.
For example, PLAY products are sweat-proof and
What is the strategy behind the Summer of PLAY campaign, and how does it mark an evolution in Supergoop!’s marketing approach?
This campaign is different in a few key ways. First, it coincides with our expansion into Target, where PLAY is especially relevant given its focus on active, everyday use.
Within the PLAY franchise, we offer a wide range of formats—lotions, mists, sticks and lip products—so the campaign emphasizes that we have a full family of sunscreens designed for different preferences and use cases.
Historically, the brand has focused more on facial products and female consumers. With this campaign, we’re broadening that lens to highlight body products and position SPF as an everyday essential for a variety of activities, whether you’re walking, hiking, at the pool or playing sports.
We’re also being more explicit about the breadth of the PLAY line. Many consumers recognize the name but may not fully understand the range of formats available. This campaign helps close that gap.
At its core, the campaign combines two priorities: demonstrating that we offer something for everyone, and continuing to educate consumers on what makes our formulas unique. We know that once people try the products, they tend to come back.
What role does Amazon’s Premium Beauty storefront play in your broader distribution and brand storytelling strategy?
May is a critical month for us. It marks the start of peak season and coincides with Skin Cancer Awareness Month. Launching on Amazon’s Premium Beauty storefront at that time allowed us to have greater control over how we present the brand, from storytelling to creative execution.
It’s also an important channel for education. There’s still significant work to be done in helping consumers understand the importance of daily sun protection. While there is a lot of good information available, there is also misinformation.
Expanding on Amazon allows us to better control our narrative, reinforce our authority in the category, and ensure consumers have access to accurate, useful information to make informed decisions for themselves and their families.
Gen Z is driving growth in sun care. How is Supergoop! reaching younger consumers, and why does the brand resonate with that audience?
There are a few reasons the brand resonates. We’ve always focused on meeting consumers where they are and making sunscreen feel approachable and even fun.
For many younger consumers, especially women, our products can serve as an entry point into tinted skincare, which naturally fits into their routines.
We are also a digital- and social-first brand, and creators play a central role in how we tell stories. They bring trust and nuance, and they can demonstrate how to use products in ways that feel authentic and relevant to their audiences.
That matters because there’s a limit to what a brand can communicate in a traditional asset. Creators can spend more time showing the application, explaining the benefits and helping consumers find the right products.
As a mother of two Gen Z kids, I find that the younger generations are so much more well-informed than I was at their age, and they have access to a lot of information. They care about ingredients and actively seek out information. Our role is to meet them in the channels they already use and provide clear, credible education so they can make informed choices about their skin health.
Saleah Blancaflor
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