The Body Shop relaunched Body Butter by celebrating Black TikTok creators

The Body Shop is an activist brand whose history meant little to modern consumers. Odysseus Arms' research found that after a year alone, audiences found self-love platforms quiet and stereotypical, and wanted brands to act on the inequality that led to the #BlackTikTokStrike.

Post-lockdown self-love messaging felt isolating, so the relaunch became 'Spread Love': a choreographed film celebrating Black TikTok creators

The agency partnered with music-video director Alan Ferguson and TikTok creators Layla Muhammad, Tracy Joseph, Sunjai Williams and Amari Smith on a choreographed, inclusive campaign; the creative, cast and production teams were majority women and non-binary people. It ran on national TV, social feeds, the brand's website, in Times Square, on taxi toppers the media company provided for free, and as a creator-led TikTok challenge.

Over eight weeks the campaign earned more than 1.4 billion earned-media impressions, which the agency valued at $12.9 million in earned media (self-reported via LBB). Taxi toppers came free because the media company liked the campaign.

The Body Shop, an activist brand whose history meant little to younger consumers, brought in Odysseus Arms to reinvigorate the brand, starting with a relaunch of its best-selling product, the original Body Butter, newly reformulated.

Research using the agency's Third3ye process found that after a year of alone time, a platform about 'self-love' felt quiet, isolating and stereotypical; audiences wanted a modern, hotter take on self-love with body positivity, inclusiveness and togetherness — and wanted brands to address the inequality that led to the #BlackTikTokStrike.

The answer was Spread Love: a choreographed, diverse and inclusive integrated campaign made with director Alan Ferguson and TikTok creators Layla Muhammad, Tracy Joseph, Sunjai Williams and Amari Smith, produced by majority women and non-binary teams. It dropped on national TV, social feeds, the brand's website, in Times Square, on taxi toppers provided free by the media company, and as a creator-led TikTok challenge.

In eight weeks the campaign received over 1.4 billion earned-media impressions, equating to $12.9 million in earned media by the agency's account.

The insight flips a tired category message: self-love alone felt isolating after a year locked down, togetherness didn't.

It rides a live cultural grievance — Black creators' work going uncredited on TikTok — rather than a generic diversity cast.

The production itself (majority women and non-binary creative, cast and crew) makes the inclusivity claim structural, not just casting.

The media plan rewarded the idea: taxi toppers were provided free because the media company liked the campaign.

When a category's message has gone quiet ('love yourself'), the version that lands is the one that gives credit and stage to the community the platform runs on.

The material records the eight-week launch window and its 1.4 billion earned impressions; nothing further about Body Butter sales or follow-up is given.