Can a brand thrive without social media? Lush thinks so.

Imagine telling a marketing team in 2025 that your brand is going to drop social media. No Instagram stories, no TikTok trends. Just vibes. Sounds unthinkable, right? After all, social media is the lifeblood of modern marketing.

Yet, Lush Cosmetics did exactly that in 2021, pulling the plug on its corporate accounts. And, according to its marketing director, Annabelle Baker, they’ve never looked back.

Why Lush turned it’s back on social.

Lush’s exit from social media wasn’t a spicy marketing stunt, it was a deliberate ethical stance.

The company cited concerns over mental health and the exploitative nature of algorithm-driven engagement. Rather than feeding the content beast, Lush pivoted to what Baker calls “curating fandoms” in other spaces. Now, they rely on community, brand advocates, and old-school marketing tactics to maintain relevance.

“We wouldn’t ask our customers to meet us down a dark and dangerous alleyway – but some social media platforms are beginning to feel like places no one should be encouraged to go,” the brand said in a statement at the time of their departure.

“We feel forced to take our own action to shield our customers from the harm and manipulation they may experience whilst trying to connect with us on social media.”

For many brands, this would be a death sentence. But Lush isn’t just any brand.

It’s built on strong ethical positioning, die-hard customer loyalty, and an in-store experience that draws people in.

It also benefits from years of being deeply embedded in online beauty culture. So even without an official online presence, people still talk about Lush. Now, the brand is effectively letting its audience do the marketing for them.

So, can other brands go social-free?

Lush’s strategy works because they have such a deeply established brand identity and a dedicated audience. But for newer or less culturally ingrained brands, the story might be different. Here’s what marketers should consider before following suit:

1. How strong is your brand’s community? Lush has a literal army of loyal fans who will spread the word organically (pun intended.) If your brand doesn’t have that kind of built-in advocacy, disappearing from social media could make you literally invisible.

2. Do you have alternative engagement channels? Lush still engages customers through email marketing, events, and collaborations. Brands going off the grid need a clear plan for staying connected.

3. Are you financially secure enough to take the risk? Social media is a cost-effective way to reach a massive audience. Cutting it out means relying on (often more expensive) marketing methods.

4. What’s your unique edge? Lush’s anti-social stance aligns with its broader ethical messaging. If there’s no deeper brand purpose behind quitting social media, it might come off as an empty gesture.

The reality? You still need social media. Sorry.

Lush’s move is intriguing. It’s also commendable as hell. But most brands can’t afford to ghost their audience. Social media remains a crucial player in discoverability, engagement, and conversion.

That being said, Lush’s approach does offer a valuable lesson: brands don’t have to play by every digital rule to stay relevant. Cultivating a strong brand identity and prioritising real customer relationships can be more powerful than chasing algorithms.

So, can a brand thrive without social media? If you’re Lush, yes. For everyone else? Probably not. But it is worth rethinking how dependent your strategy is on platforms you don’t control.

-Sophie, Writer