Key Takeaways:The AAD Annual Meeting is transforming the way consumer brands are viewed. Dermatologist endorsements drive consumer trust and purchasing decisions globally.Clinical rigor and playful branding coexist, reshaping clinical skincare’s future.For decades, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Annual Meeting has been the clinical crown event of the dermatology industry. Founded in 1938, the AAD has over 20,000 members worldwide, and its Annual Meeting has been where prescription drugmakers, device manufacturers, and researchers have unveiled the latest advances in skin health since 1939. The AAD’s meeting has always had a clinical-first rigor, with rows of poster presentations, CME (continuing medical education) sessions, and pharma-backed seminars designed to educate dermatologists and drive progress in patient care. However, at the 2025 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida, attendees noticed a new presence in the exhibit hall. Alongside exhibit booths of medical dermatology products and devices, a growing number of consumer-facing skincare brands were exhibitors, commanding attention with clinical trial data and experiential activations. What was once a strictly clinical space has begun to blur the lines, with legacy dermocosmetic names and consumer brands alike utilizing the AAD as a stage to earn professional validation as well as consumer trust. The turning point can be attributed to the clinical skincare category’s explosion in retail. By the late 2010s, mass retailers like Target, CVS, and Ulta were giving significant shelf space to dermatologist-backed brands like Eucerin and Vichy.