海角视频 cosmetics retailer Lush is shutting down its Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Snapchat accounts following concerns around the safety of the platforms for users.
The Poole-headquartered business will no longer be using those networks from Friday (November 26) in any of the 48 countries it operates in.
The move is expected to create a potential loss of 拢10m in sales, according to Jack Constantine, the firm鈥檚 chief digital officer.
He told the BBC Today programme the company was 鈥渧ery positive鈥 about the decision, however.
鈥淲e have a year to try and get that back and we are very positive about that,鈥 he said.
Mr Constantine said the company would not rule out returning - if the platforms change the way they treat their users and 鈥渟tart listening to the reality鈥 of how social networks are impacting people鈥檚 mental health, he said.
He added that Instagram would need to change its algorithm back to a chronological timeline of content, too.
When asked why Lush is remaining on Twitter and Youtube, Mr Constantine said although both 鈥渃ould be toxic鈥 they were easier platforms to 鈥渕ove away from鈥.
鈥淲e are looking at these algorithms where they are pumping the content straight at you and they are feeding this mindless scrolling at the news feed,鈥 he explained.
鈥淕enerally [Twitter and Youtube] can be echo chambers or you can move away without becoming so easily addicted to them,鈥 he added.
The move from the cosmetics company is not completely surprising. Lush has a history of backing political campaigns, from working with digital rights organisation Access Now to keep the internet free and open, to raising funds for tech for good initiatives following the Facebook data leaks.
However, the move is likely to be scrutinised closely from those from inside and outside the industry - by marketeers, social media experts and brand specialists.
But is it a trend that could even catch on? We spoke to a number of social media experts from around the 海角视频 to find out what they thought of Lush鈥檚 strategy.
Will more companies be following suit or is it a one-off move from a global business with a well-established reach?
'Lush is saying it鈥檚 right for them, not that other brands should do it'
Karina Scott, founder of social media and marketing company Girl About Social, says it鈥檚 a 鈥渕assive bold move鈥 from the cosmetics retailer.
鈥淭hey must be confident in their branding and customers鈥 loyalty. Social media management platform Hootsuite did research and it found Twitter and Youtube were more effective for engagement.鈥
Ms Scott said the move sounded 鈥渟hocking鈥, but suggested Lush just doesn't need the platforms.
鈥淣ine out of 10 times businesses use social media just because everyone else does. Events will take over more in 2022 with influencers and pop-ups for retail brands anyway. It鈥檚 stealth marketing.
鈥淲ill other brands follow? Depends on a brands鈥 ethos. I think it鈥檚 great. Lush is not just giving people what they think they want.
鈥淭here are no rules and I think that鈥檚 the biggest thing when it comes to marketing and social media. Companies just need to do what is right for them. Lush is saying it鈥檚 right for them, not that other brands should do it.
鈥淭o be a disruptor in a space you have to be different to everyone else. They are just coming off these platforms, not social media completely. They have Twitter for customer service and are likely to use social listening tools to find out what people are saying about them on Instagram still. They just won鈥檛 be posting. I think it鈥檚 really impressive."
鈥業t鈥檚 about working with the platforms to improve them'
Ed Fraser, managing director of social media agency The Tree, said his philosophy is that it's 鈥渂est to be part of the conversation than to cancel it鈥.
He said: 鈥淪ocial media platforms are here to stay and will probably become more ubiquitous. I think it鈥檚 about working with the platforms to improve them.
鈥淲e need our brands to have a strong sense of themselves and it鈥檚 really refreshing to see brands put ethics above the bottom line.鈥
But Mr Fraser said he believed purpose-driven businesses could still 鈥減ush a positive message鈥 on social media and use their voice for good.
鈥淚 think that is the route brands should go down. I am not sticking up for Mark Zuckerberg but we all find it much easier to lay blame on the negativity on these platforms鈥 but there are also people who feel empowered by and on social media.
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鈥淭here is a balance of positive and negative, although we need to be extremely conscious of the negative. I think it will just take time for the regulator to get up to speed and get these networks in shape.鈥
Mr Fraser said it was hard, however, for platforms to self regulate, or for third parties to regulate them, when they were breaking new ground at such speed.
He said: 鈥淭here is a worry that these platforms can鈥檛 keep pace with their own growth. It鈥檚 everyone鈥檚 right to use social media. Setting an example could be effective and I think one thing we have within our power is to change the way we use it or pull away from using it.鈥
But he said it 鈥渢ook guts鈥 from Lush to wipe out what many deem as the major marketing channels.
鈥淭heir website and own channels are likely to become a real asset,鈥 he added.
'It removes individual responsibility'
Kinga Stabryla, founder and chief executive of Brandspire, said people needed to remember that social media platforms are also businesses.
鈥淚 think a lot of businesses have forgotten that. The algorithm will promote those platform鈥檚 business objectives,鈥 she said.
鈥淎nother face to it, it kind of removes individual responsibility. We have to be creating content that engages and helps people, and if that strategy doesn鈥檛 take in the end user, then that鈥檚 on you.
鈥淏e mindful of what you are posting and be authentic. Lush is reminding us we should be more thoughtful, more mindful of the people on the other side of the screen, and that鈥檚 what we should take away from this.鈥
Ms Stabryla said she wouldn鈥檛 recommend a business pulling the plug on social media in the same way unless they have a 鈥渧ery significant brand鈥.
She added: 鈥淭hey are raising an important issue. Any brand couldn鈥檛 do that, you have to have enough exposure and brand awareness to pull the plug on social.
鈥淎 lot of brands use it to grow. Lush have exploited it and they are now in a position to say they are going. It鈥檚 bold and forces us into a conversation. In a way I am thankful as they are forcing us to be thoughtful.鈥
'Using influencers instead could be more damaging'
Rik Courtney, chief executive of Be More Social, doesn鈥檛 think other companies will follow suit.
鈥淲etherspoons did it, Tesla did it, but they still have an open Instagram account and Elon musk has a strong brand. They still employ influencers and I think it鈥檚 influencers who are the problem; Lush have gone about it the wrong way.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think people are following purely for values, they like the products but they also hold the influencers [that Lush use] in high regard.
鈥淗aving an influencer solution to getting the word out could be more damaging. I am a big believer in social media marketing, and it鈥檚 very important to use it sensibly.鈥
Mr Courtney said he thinks Lush should remove its influencer marketing strategy if it is doing it for values. He also warned against smaller businesses making the same decision.
鈥淐ategorically don鈥檛 do it if you鈥檙e a small business. As a small brand the opportunity for you to get on a platform today and bring in a customer tomorrow is so very real. Social media marketing is about building a community and for me, Lush could have even got that slightly wrong. Imagine if they built a community, what they could do.鈥
He also called on users of social media to take individual responsibility.
He added: 鈥淚f we want to dwell and comment on negative content then the algorithm will deliver that to us. I think if we are responsible for ourselves in the first instance, rather than relying on the companies to do that for us, I think everyone would have a better, more positive experience.鈥
What do you think of Lush's decision to quit some social media platforms? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
