On 26 November 2021, cosmetics retailer Lush turned its back on social media. It quit Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, saying it wouldn't return until those platforms provided a safer environment for all users (the brand maintains a presence on X, YouTube, and Pinterest). The marketing world applauded, and many predicted that other brands would join the Lush crusade. But in the end, few did.
Lush is a true British business success story. Founded 27 years ago and starting with a small shop in Dorset, it now has over 800 stores worldwide. A key ingredient of its success is a fiercely purposeful way of doing business. There has been a lot of 'purpose-bashing' in the marketing press over the past couple of years, but Lush is a great example of how to do purpose well. Its eco-credentials are deeply ingrained in its DNA, helping to differentiate the brand in a category which has now been flooded with greenwashing.
The other big story of a brand exiting social entirely was Bottega Veneta, which also quit in 2021. Rather than a strict 'anti-social' message, the luxury fashion house put out a statement saying that the brand
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