Body Shop: Are we really saying goodbye to the British beauty giant?

The British beauty superstar brand recently went into administration leading thousands if not millions wondering what happened exactly to what used to be the UK’s most innovative and refreshing beauty brand. In this article, we will look back at the Body Shop's illustrious history and see what went wrong and how the brand can be revived.

Beginning

In the 1970s, Anita Roddick, a woman that is both bold and highly engaged in environmental and social issues launched the Beauty Shop, a skincare and perfume company that was proudly made of organic products.

The early and multi decade-lasting success of the brand can be explained by a strong identity rooted in those environmental and social values. Beyond a strong brand with a bold, unapologetic, forward-thinking leader, The Body Shop also made use of a variety of tactics to offer more than a simple retail experience, it offered a unique and highly sensory one.

This blend of values and quality products combined with a unique retail experience seduced consumers beyond the UK and the brand grew globally.  In 2017, its products were sold in about 3,000 stores, some company-owned and others franchised, in a total of 66 countries.

Vicissitudes

The Body Shop’ strong stance against animal testing and environmental consciousness used to make the brand special. Yet, what happens when everybody is forced to uphold those values? Well, the brand loses its unique selling point. 

This is exactly what happened to The Body Shop when more and more markets started to require the ban of animal testing by law or as more brands started to emerge with those values. What used to make The Body Shop became common.

Not only The Body Shop lost its unicity but it also lost one of the most important assets a brand needs to succeed: consumer trust. In 2007, the brand was sold to the largest French beauty group: l’Oréal. The sale made consumers and brand fans question the authenticity of the brand as they were seriously concerned that those values won’t be upheld by the group anymore.

On top of these two issues, The Body Shop made a mistake that many did previously, it didn’t grow with the times. For a business to have a long-lasting it needs to always reinvent itself. This constant innovation is not an option but a must as brands need to stay on top of ever changing consumer needs and trends. The Body Shop stuck to what had worked in the past, yet as its consumer base grew up so did their needs and desires.

The brand also lost its signature bold tone of voice and stopped taking stance on social issues, which was once again a part of its brand DNA. 

Lastly, The Body Shop became “too big” . With a presence in 66 markets, each requiring a specific approach in terms of localisation, The Body Shop couldn’t keep up with its own size.

Due to all of the reasons mentioned above, The Body Shop stopped operating in several markets including the USA, and closed 75 stores in the UK.

Source: The Body Shop in Burlington, Vermont, in December 2023. Aki Soga/Burlington Free Press/USA Today Network

Yet, the business is still operating and the brand still exists. However, it is now highly damaged.

The Candice PR analysis 

From a PR and Comms perspective, the brand reputation is highly damaged.  I would recommend rebuilding it by implementing the next four steps.

Step 1 - New leadership

The Body shop was embodied by Anna Roddick who was famous for her strong stance on social issues. In today’s global context with Gen Z highly interested in and receptive on social topics, a new, outspoken, passionate and engaged leader will be gladly welcomed. On the other hand, in today’s beauty industry having a public figure as a brand leader becomes more and more important. The arrival of this new leader will revive the brand image and will expand the brand by attracting new comers.

Step 2 - Bringing back boldness and activism

I would recommend bringing back boldness as this was at the core of The Body Shop’s DNA. I recommend rekindling with provocative campaigns and partnerships with Greenpeace and other environmental organisations. The reason is twofold. Firstly, these campaigns will attract younger audiences and audiences aligned with the values of the brand. Secondly, it will revive the brand’s image!

Step 3 - Reimagining the in-store experience

With less shops to focus on, the retail experience can be reimagined. I would recommend working with eco-futuristic architects and visual merchandisers to build a retail experience that merge offline with digital all while embodying The Body Shop’s values. That would revive The Body Shop’s reputation as an environmental brand that is forward thinking all while giving a refresh to its brick and mortar shops.

Step 4 - Coming back to its sources

I also recommend going back to the original names of the products, the ones named after ingredients as we are now in the “star ingredients” era of skincare and beauty. This would make the “tiktokification” and “social mediatisation” of their products more effective and more social media friendly. This would also show that The Body shop understands its customers and speaks their languages.

With a new leadership, a reconnection with its core values and a new forward-thinking customer experience, The Body shop’s reputation will be renewed and a new “era” will begin. Now is not the time for a goodbye. Now is  the time for a new beginning, the one of a new chapter.

If you are a brand that needs strategic communications and PR advice for your beauty and wellness brand, I invite you to schedule a call with me here, I will be glad to provide my expertise to fuel the growth of your business.