New marketing strategies in the USA for 2022: No more social media, yes to newsletters and physical events

Lush is moving away from social media: newsletters and physical events will drive sales in the US

Can a brand survive in the US without the social networks? Lush leads the way for cosmetics companies seeking new ways to win over US consumers

Lush, the British company known globally for its handmade cosmetics, has announced that it will be leaving four of its major social platforms as the result of its boldest marketing decision in years.

Instead of social media Lush wants to build a following on Youtube, used in the US by 74% of American adult consumers compared to 68% on Facebook and 40% on Instagram [Source: Pew Research Center]. So a shift towards the most popular digital environment in America, whose users are expected to increase further from 214.9 million in 2020 to 228.1 million by 2024 [Source: eMarketer].

The beauty brand has then chosen Twitter for offering customer support services, email marketing as its means for disseminating promotional campaigns and Pinterest as a space dedicated to inspirational content for American and foreign customers.

A new marketing trend is emerging in America

What Lush has planned is an unconventional marketing strategy that follows the example of other successful brands in the US

Since June, Balenciaga has been cleaning up its Instagram feed to showcase its new fashion collections, and there are brands like JW Anderson that only use their social media profiles to showcase seasonal products on sale in the US. Bottega Veneta, on the other hand, disappeared from all social media in February 2021, investing in a digital magazine called Issue in the hope of restoring to the brand the depth that Instagram obscures in the name of simplification and of the immediacy of content.

In short, on social media, brands are proposing increasingly ephemeral content, while interest in creating long-impact touchpoints is rising. In the case of Lush, the investment in the print magazine Lush Times and in physical events clarifies the reasons for its change of direction: American consumers are looking for brands that prioritize the quality of their relationship with customers and in this sense, the printed publication and face-to-face experiences should help Lush build a memorable brand identity.

To sell in the U.S., brands need to work hard and appear new, fresh and sincere

These days, the obsession with Instagram is becoming yesterday’s news: companies operating in America are now focusing on building one-to-one relationships with their most loyal audiences

For Lush, the move was motivated by the negative impact of social media on the mental health of American consumers. A difficult choice, given that Instagram continues to exert an unparalleled hold on users, but at the same time one with vast media potential.

Lush's anti-social decision will certainly not go unnoticed, so increasing brand awareness among American consumers. Then, there are also other benefits to doing marketing with unusual mediums such as print, email and on-site events, such as a greater perception of brand authenticity and exclusivity. In fact, consumers may even feel closer to Lush simply because it is not trying to reach a wide range of people.

In short, all eyes are on Lush which is using a pioneering approach in the cosmetics sector. Only time will tell if this is the debut of a revolutionary marketing trend for doing business in the United States or an initiative gone haywire.

Source: Vogue Business