Beyond brand purpose: The Body Shop embraces activism

The Body Shop, an international beauty retail chain, has moved beyond brand purpose to integrate activist principles into the company, beyond its marketing communications.

In 2019, brand purpose is arguably the hottest trend in marketing. It’s also arguably the most maligned. How can brands be a part of culture and do good, while also taking care of commercial considerations? How can consumers – more motivated to support brands doing good than ever, research indicates – be sure that the brands they purchase are really walking their talk, as opposed to ‘pink-washing’ or ‘green-washing’?

From humble beginnings as a single store in Brighton, The Body Shop now has more than 3000 stores in 70 countries. A strong sense of purpose has always been at the...

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