Acting on brand values sends a bigger message than their accounts ever could.

There’s a good chance you’ve seen the headlines about cosmetics company, Lush deactivating its Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok accounts to bring awareness to mental health. It’s a bold move — and we think it was a smart one. 

Deactivating their accounts and citing a concern for their customers’ mental health is solid positioning on Lush’s part. They already emphasize safe, ethically-sourced ingredients and minimalist packaging, and the deactivation strengthens the perception that they go above and beyond for their customers’ well-being. What’s more, as the narrative shifts to the significant financial opportunity cost of leaving these platforms, it demonstrates just how dedicated they are to taking care of their customers. 

The decision also shows the company is a forward-thinker that walks the walk. With increasing public concern over social media’s detrimental effects on mental health, Lush has made themselves one of the few companies taking action and has one-upped some similar initiatives that didn’t go quite as far. As such, they’ve made themselves a leader in tackling a relevant issue that’s still top-of-mind, following last years’ release of the Social Dilemma and continued criticism levelled at social media platforms. 

Perhaps more than anything else, they’ve done something disruptive that has garnered a lot of positive attention — no easy feat in today’s content-saturated world. The key variable in how this will be perceived in the long run is whether they’ll stay away for good. 

What does this mean for the rest of us? Should we be clamouring to deactivate our social media accounts too? Not quite. The reason it works so well for Lush is that it ties in with their existing brand values and sends a powerful message to their customers. We believe that the real takeaway here is that other companies should consider their brand values and concrete actions that embody those values in their customers’ minds. 

We also love the irony that deactivating social media accounts has been a huge hit on social media.

If you’re ready to make a bold move of your own, contact us and find out how we can help you turn some heads.