Sunscreen has long been a summer necessity with boring branding: white tubes, medical claims, and a whiff of obligation. That’s why Vacation, a startup launched in 2021, flipped the formula by making sunscreen feel like a party. With branding that channels 1980s beach culture, Vacation’s products come in whipped-cream cans, neon jugs, and packaging that doubles as accessories. Its sunscreen doesn’t just block UV rays; it smells like “pool toy and lycra,” thanks to perfumers behind niche luxury scents. The strategy has worked so far, with Vacation appearing on the shelves in Target, Ulta, and Costco while earning $40 million in revenue last year.
Vacation’s audience appeal goes beyond scent or nostalgia. It’s a brand built for social media. The company gives away over 1,000 products a week to creators and event organizers, betting that playful packaging and a photogenic vibe will fuel word-of-mouth marketing. That bet seems to be paying off. Vacation jumped from No. 24 to No. 13 in U.S. sunscreen sales within a year. Ulta is betting big on the brand by showcasing Vacation’s newest product, body sprays that match its perfumes and sunscreens, on prominent in-store displays. While Banana Boat and Neutrogena still dominate unit sales, Vacation is betting it can compete on “cool” factor.
By blending SPF and scent, Vacation has turned sunscreen from a basic health product into a lifestyle object. Its perfumes and candles now sit beside sunscreen on store shelves as an unusual but effective crossover. “We didn’t come out from the start thinking we’re going to have fragrance as part of a sunscreen brand, but it very organically and naturally [fit] into our story,” said Lach Hall, Vacation’s co-founder and executive chair of marketing. Vacation’s marketing succeeds by telling one cohesive story: sunscreen can smell great, look fun, and still work. In a crowded category, selling the feeling of summer might be just as powerful as selling protection from it.
Questions:
- How does Vacation use clever branding to stand out in a crowded market?
- Do you think niche brands like Vacation could eventually compete with household names like Banana Boat and Neutrogena? Why or why not?
Sources: Katie Deighton, “How Three Friends Built a Multimillion-Dollar Brand by Making Sunscreen Fun Again,” The Wall Street Journal, July 19, 2025; Sara Spruch-Feiner, “How Vacation Is Using Fragrance To Sell Sunscreen,” Glossy, May 6, 2025.