Deciphering The Body Shop's 2024 Experiential Focus
British-born ethical beauty brand, The Body Shop, has been betting on the sustainability quotient for quite a while now. It has been interweaving its sustainability goals with its customer experience initiatives and marketing campaigns too.
Through its initiative - the Youth Collective Council, which was launched in August last year - The Body Shop brings forward the voices of India's emerging young change makers and engages with them in building a more sustainable and inclusive future. Post a round table discussion and insights from the members of Youth Collective Council, The Body Shop India has decided to implement future-oriented key initiatives as a part of its brand strategy for 2024.
The first in the list includes a comprehensive approach to gender sensitivity across all the facets of The Body Shop India operations. Through key focus on this initiative, the brand will establish a respectful and equitable environment in-stores and at workplace for their respective diverse customers and employees from diverse orientations.
Secondly, it will look at elevating the experience for the visually challenged community by introducing Braille in all the stores in a phased manner, ensuring enhanced in-store experience for everyone. Thirdly, the brand is committed to utilising authentic representation of real-life heroes from diverse backgrounds in its marketing campaigns establishing inclusivity as the benchmark for the industry.
Everything Experiential, for the debut of its BrandCraft series, spoke to Harmeet Singh, VP Marketing, Digital & Product, The Body Shop Asia South who highlighted the brand’s plans of blending digital and experiential marketing, stepping up its customer engagement and experiences in 2024, its focus on personalised experiences and more.
Edited excerpts:
How do you plan to blend your digital and experiential marketing capabilities in 2024 to receive the maximum ROI on your marketing spends?
We recognise the evolving dynamics of beauty shopping, where the lines between digital and physical have blurred. To address this, we are committed to adopting a multi-channel approach to engage our consumers. We're committed to providing an ‘anywhere shopping’ service, leveraging third party channels like BlinkIt, where all gift sets of The Body Shop are available and delivered to consumers' doorstep in less than 15 minutes’ time. This approach ensures that we are not confined to a single channel, reaching a broader audience and accommodating diverse consumer preferences. A notable initiative in this integration is the introduction of Click and Collect services, allowing customers to seamlessly transition between online and in-store experiences, exemplifying the synergy between our digital and physical retail spaces. Additionally, we are the first international brand beauty and skincare brand in India to join the ONDC Network to widen our reach and provide a great experience to our consumers at affordable prices.
To maximise our return on investment (ROI), we're implementing digital-first strategies that focus on the smart optimisation of ad spend. This includes prioritising performance marketing, video ads, and influencer-led content to target consumers where they are most active. Simultaneously, our ‘Activist Workshop’ stores are evolving into meaningful destinations, acting as embodiments of our brand purpose. Educational workshops and unique collaborations are designed to drive footfall to our physical locations, ensuring that our offline experiences harmonise with our digital efforts.
How is the brand looking at stepping up its customer engagement and experiences in 2024, across its various products and also for the causes that it stands for?
A key element of our customer engagement strategy is the integration of sustainability, inclusivity, and ethical practices into every facet of our interaction with consumers. Our commitment to environmental stewardship extends beyond mere rhetoric; it is woven into the fabric of the customer experience. We have created unique ‘Activist Workshop’ stores, where sustainability is not just a theme but a tangible reality. From sustainable store fixtures to the 'Return, Recycle, Repeat' concept, we actively involve our customers in positive environmental change, fostering a sense of shared responsibility.
For the causes we stand for, customer engagement is not merely transactional; it is about building a community that shares our values. In the coming year, we're set to host a myriad of events focused on our Youth Collective Council, an initiative that not only invites young voices into our boardroom but also integrates their perspectives into pivotal business decisions. We aim to transform customer engagement into a collective endeavour, propelling meaningful positive change.
On the product front, our strategy involves a strategic expansion into smaller markets across India, specifically targeting tier III and IV cities. Recognising the saturation in metropolitan areas, we've set our sights on opening 300 additional stores in 50 more cities by 2025. Our goal is not just to be present but to be accessible where our consumers reside, ensuring inclusivity and a personalised touch in our outreach.
What kind of personalised experiential marketing strategies is the brand planning to put in place to cater to the unique needs and preferences of the Indian consumer?
The Body Shop has always prioritised customer needs before anything else, hence our focus has always been on enhancing personalised experiences of the consumers. In terms of marketing strategies, the brand will be focusing more on providing personalised in-store experiences. Currently, we have in store skincare consultations, where customers can receive customised advice and recommendations based on their skin type and preferences. In our store, we have installed a ‘Body Butter’ tower which provides the consumer a convenient way to choose their favourite body butter range. Additionally, our in-store gifting stations are also a huge hit among consumers during the festive, wedding, and topical seasons.
We will be using data analytics to provide personalised product recommendations on the company's website. Tailoring marketing campaigns to resonate with the cultural and regional preferences of the Indian consumer, showcasing diversity and inclusivity.
How would loyalty programs, exclusive offers, etc help The Body Shop in fostering lasting connections with its customer base in 2024?
Our loyalty programs LYBC (Love Your Body Club), which involves earning points or receiving exclusive discounts, incentivise customers to make repeat purchases. This encourages ongoing engagement with The Body Shop and contributes to the development of lasting connections. Loyalty programs allow us to gather valuable customer data. This data can be used to personalise offers and communications, tailoring them to individual preferences and needs. Personalisation enhances the customer experience and strengthens the connection with the brand.
We started the year with our End of Season Sale in which the brand offered an exclusive early window for its LYBC (Love Your Body Club) members. The sale went live from 29 December, 2023 and is open till 31January, 2024.
How is The Body Shop trying to be a brand catering to any and every kind of consumer, irrespective of age, gender or any other biases? And how is it trying to woo the millennials and GenZ's specifically?
The Body Shop has strategically positioned itself as a brand that transcends generational and demographic boundaries, adopting a holistic approach to cater to a diverse consumer base. Several significant techniques have contributed to the brand's success in appealing to millennials and Gen Z while remaining inclusive.
Ethical and Sustainable Practices: The Body Shop promotes ethical and sustainable business methods. By advocating causes like providing Vegan products, fair trade, and eco-friendly packaging, the brand aligns with the beliefs of socially conscious consumers of all ages. This dedication appeals to millennials and Gen Z, who prioritise ethical considerations in their purchase decisions, as well as consumers of all ages, who are becoming increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their choices.
Inclusive Marketing Campaigns: By presenting a diverse spectrum of people in the campaigns, the brand communicates with a message of acceptance to everyone. This technique enables The Body Shop to break out from age- or gender-specific marketing, making it more accessible to a wider audience.
Community Engagement: The Body Shop promotes community engagement through various activities. By helping local communities through fair trade practices and participating in global human rights campaigns, the brand connects with consumers who value corporate responsibility. This strategy appeals not only to younger consumers but also to people of all ages who want to support brands that share their beliefs.
Innovative Retail Experience: The Body Shop invests in providing a unique and interactive shopping experience to its customers. The store's welcoming environment helps consumers browse products, get personalised advice, and participate in hands-on activities. This technique appeals to people of all ages and goes beyond standard beauty retail settings.
The Body Shop aims to appeal to a varied spectrum of consumers, regardless of age, and stems from its commitment to ethical standards, diverse product offerings, inclusive marketing, affordable pricing, community engagement, and an innovative retail experience.
What kind of experiential trends and innovations are expected to disrupt this category in 2024?
In the dynamic landscape of India's evolving consumer preferences, some of the trends that will be disrupting the beauty industry in 2024, include:
Embracing Ethical Practices: The conscious consumer in India, especially the youth, places significant value on sustainability and ethical practices. The Body Shop, with its commitment to cruelty-free and vegan products, is already on the right track. The brand has also announced becoming the world’s first global beauty brand to achieve 100 per cent vegan product formulations across all ranges by The Vegan Society. Strengthening and transparently communicating these practices can further resonate with the environmentally conscious Indian consumer.
Localised Social Campaigns: Recognising the digital-first approach of the Indian audience, The Body Shop creates social campaigns tailored to resonate with the values of the Gen Z and millennial demographic. Emphasising its commitment to ethical beauty practices and local community empowerment in these campaigns can establish a deeper connection with the target audience.
Omnichannel Integration: The omnichannel approach is crucial in India's diverse market. While digital channels are essential for brand visibility, The Body Shop enhances the customer experience by ensuring a seamless transition between online and offline presence. This matches the preferences of responsible customers who seek a smooth shopping experience and value brands that promote sustainability, ethical practices, and community involvement.
Purpose-Driven Storytelling: Building on the trend of purpose-driven marketing, The Body Shop amplifies its commitment to environmental and social responsibility through compelling storytelling. Sharing narratives of sustainable sourcing, community engagement, and the positive impact of its initiatives not only resonates with conscious consumers but also differentiates the brand in the industry.
Community Building: The pull strategy should be a focal point, centred around building a community that shares and believes in The Body Shop's values. Engaging with consumers on a personal level, involving them in the brand's initiatives, and actively listening to their feedback will create a sense of belonging, turning customers into advocates.
By weaving these strategies, brands are offering unique opportunity to not only meet the evolving expectations of the Indian consumer but also to lead by example in ethical, purpose-driven practices. By weaving these strategies into its core brand identity, brands like The Body Shop can not only thrive in the current market but also set a benchmark for responsible and authentic beauty brands in India.
