“Stay safe and wash those hands!” — Lush Sends the Message to All of Us in this Challenging Time
Learnings for beauty brands, how Lush has been communicating with the public in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic
We are familiar with the concept of a brand’s communication that it should be built based on a 3C: Clear, Concise and Consistent. Amidst the uncertainties regarding the world’s health crisis, COVID-19 while we are all in this together, brands need to do even harder work in communicating with their customers. It needs to have a sense of being a real human too. Lush, a well-known organic and handmade cosmetic brand has shown its attempt to communicate and ensure that it stands by our sides, employees and customers.
Lush’s responses to the COVID-19 situation
Lush has launched a dedicated communication letter on the pandemic situation called. It was implemented consistently across all channels: website and other social media touchpoints. In the “Updates from Lush on Covid-19”, there were 3 major announcements, starting with proactive communication since Mar 13 before the major cities in North America were locked down. The organic brand expressed its care to all the Lushies including their staff, customers and the community. It also clearly communicated action steps to ensure the standards of cleanliness and sanitary procedures at their physical stores, deep-cleaning the stores, suspending non-essential events, removing all product testers, etc. The tone of communication was a good balance between proving the situation has been taken and monitored closely by the management and at the same time showing the care and end with a warming closing that is in line with the brand’s voice in being genuine with the commitment to support the community.
These are trying times for all, and we thank you for your continued support. Please know that your local ’soap shop’ is here to brighten your day in any way that we can.
Stay safe and wash those hands!
- Karen and Mark Wolverton
The second communication followed on March 15 announcing its important decision to close all of their 258 retail stores across Canada and the US. The overall message still proved the brand’s main concern around their staff, communities and getting the business through the crisis. It also reassured customers that their online stores are still operating and ended with its main tagline that is perfectly suitable with the current situation, Stay safe and wash those hands!
The latest announcement came around a week after on Mar 27. Unfortunately, Lush, similar to many businesses that are suffering from the unexpected crisis, had to announce one of their biggest news about laying off employees. It is non-pleasant news that no CEO or companies would want to ever announce it. In the letter, it was explained carefully that they had been doing all other ways and putting staff as their top priority. The senior leadership team have taken a 25 percent salary reduction and the company has been paying to their employees even during the closing time. Yet, the tough decision was crucial to be made. In the end, Lush still reassured its customers that their needs will still be served through online with their digital team working hard and safe to deliver at their best given the circumstance.
Thank you for your support as we navigate this uncharted territory. We look to the future with optimism and sincere gratitude to our incredible staff and community. We are doing our best to make decisions and operate the only way we know how: honestly and transparently.
Stay safe and wash those hands.
- Karen and Mark Wolverton
From all these Lush stories, these were not common updates and communication in any other crisis time, it has been definitely one of the biggest events in its brand’s history.
What can we learn from Lush’s responses?
1) Ensure one reliable source of updates
The key here is to keep it clear and consistent. Lush has made it official that there is only one reliable source to prevent confusion. It launched a dedicated tab additionally on their website called ‘Covid-19 Updates’ and put all official announcements there. While Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media accounts were used as broadcasting tools but still attributed back to the main official newsletter.
2) Revisit the business strategy — soap as Lush’s hero product
With the removal of physical stores, online channels have now become the only main touchpoint between brands and consumers. Lush immediately revisited its business strategy to conquer the critical hygienic needs of customers. It shifted the focus from the best-selling popular products such as bath bombs or facial masks, explored what other potential products in its portfolio and added a strong push on its soap and cleaning line in response to the need of washing our hands more often than ever.
In addition to highlighting different hero products, Lush also implemented Free shipping. Customers can’t shop at the stores, resulting in the e-commerce industry is surging. Then free shipping is activated to help incentivize online shoppers to make the shop-at-home decision and secure online sales for Lush.
3) Leverage creative content
Apart from optimizing its main selling channel, the online site, Lush has been even more creative with its content. Lush introduced a series of content that their audience can expect in the coming week. The brand shows a great understanding of humans in this quarantining time that it can be really stressful. Then Lush wants to be a part of creating a more uplifting and hopeful social environment to make everyone feel joy with #LushShowAndTell series. This is a wise approach by setting the expectation of customers of what can be found and why they would have to follow the brand. It also helps strongly emphasize the brand’s position and commitment to doing great things to society
4) Be authentic
In this crisis time, brands have to rethink about one question for all of their communications. What exactly does the brand/the leadership want to communicate to the public? I would say that Lush has successfully told its consumers one thing with the main idea of “Stay safe and wash those hands!” This sentence is a simple but shows authenticity that is not too far stretch from what Lush has been positioning and communicating even before this COVID-19 era. It simply serves as a caring message that even us, humans use to show our care to others. “Please stay strong, safe and wash our hands often!”
A disruption in the brand’s communication from the pandemic
In my last blog, it discussed How the Pandemic Affected Customer’s Path-to-Purchase. Now we are also experiencing another disruption in communication and marketing too. Customers now are interested more and want to see what brands truly believe in and stand for. What good the brand is tyring to do for society and if that fits what they believe in. Especially in these tough times, we are all in this together and need to be more united. People look for real connections and brands need to prove that they are real and genuine or in other words, think like a human being that cares for one another as well. Communications then require the connection at a deeper level with customers. If brands want to be heard, they must connect with heart and soul, embracing authenticity as a new goal.
