SOCIAL MEDIA

Cosmetics brand drops most social media platforms from its marketing

By our News Team | 2021

Lush says it doesn’t want to expose its customers to the potential “risk” and “harm” posed by four social media platforms.

Lush, the international cosmetics brand known for its support of ethical practices, has announced that it is turning its back on four major social media platforms.

Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat will no longer be part of company’s marketing mix. Instead, it is to maintain a social media presence only on YouTube and Twitter.

Lush confirmed it will discontinue these platforms across the 48 countries in which it operates from Friday, 26 November. It has no plans to return to the platforms until such time as they provide a safer environment for users.

The brand has exited social media once before – in 2019 – but returned due to what it called ‘FOMO’ (fear of missing out). Some experts believe the necessity for digital marketing during the worldwide Covid-19 lockdowns also played a part in the brand’s return.

Now Lush again feels that ‘enough is enough’ and it is again seeking the moral high ground. In a statement, it explains the latest decision thus:

Photo courtesy of Lush North America

Ethical brand going cold (plant-based) turkey

“Like so many teenagers have experienced before us, Lush has tried to come off social media, but our FOMO is vast and our compulsion to use the various platforms means we find ourselves back on there, despite our best intentions. So here we are again, trying to go cold (plant-based) turkey.

“Having previously attempted this in 2019, our resolve has been strengthened by all the latest information from courageous whistleblowers, which clearly lays out the known harms that young people are exposed to because of the current algorithms and loose regulation of this new area of our lives.”

Jack Constantine, the Chief Digital Officer and product inventor at Lush, adds his own take on the decision: “As an inventor of bath bombs, I pour all my efforts into creating products that help people switch off, relax and pay attention to their wellbeing. Social media platforms have become the antithesis of this aim, with algorithms designed to keep people scrolling and stop them from switching off and relaxing.”

Added Mark Constantine, Co-Founder and CEO: “I’ve spent all my life avoiding putting harmful ingredients in my products. There is now overwhelming evidence we are being put at risk when using social media. I’m not willing to expose my customers to this harm, so it’s time to take it out of the mix”.

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