From Barbie to Super Mario: Why Lush’s brand collaborations have been so successful

The UK-based beauty brand has achieved remarkable retail sales results through its licensed partnerships in the current year, with additional collaborations in progress. We delve into the undisclosed factors behind its triumphant success in cross-brand endeavors.

Lush has distinctly positioned itself as a preeminent collaborator within the beauty industry, engaging in exclusive partnerships like no other at present. Over the past year, the British cosmetics manufacturer has strategically integrated limited edition licensed product collaborations into its retail strategy, and the benefits are now manifesting.

The brand has successfully executed eight prominent cross-collaborations with major players in the gaming, television, toy, and entertainment sectors. An illustrative example is Lush's limited edition bathing line inspired by Nintendo's renowned Super Mario Bros gaming franchise, yielding £10 million in revenue. A standout product within this range, the Question Block Bath Bomb, which conceals a collectible flower-shaped power-up soap, sold an impressive 250,000 units.

Likewise, Lush's exclusive collaboration with TV network Paramount for the Lush x SpongeBob collection has proven immensely lucrative. Launched on 29 June, this packaging-free bath and body care collection, influenced by the Nickelodeon cartoon show SpongeBob SquarePants, attained £1.3 million in sales within its inaugural week. Over 66,000 items were purchased during this seven-day period, accompanied by a notable 19% surge in website traffic.

Lush's partnership strategy continues to fortify its position, recently unveiling the Mattel-approved Lush X Barbie product range and associated pop-up venture. Capitalizing on the fervor surrounding Barbie, the bathing collection achieved an extraordinary £138,000 in day-one sales via the retailer's app, constituting the highest single-day sales figure in its app history.

Melody Morton, Lush Concepts Creative Director, remarks, "Between 20% and 30% of collaboration sales originate from new customers, offering one compelling rationale for such endeavors." While embracing new opportunities, she acknowledges the complexity of steering these collaborations to ensure optimal decision-making.

Morton adds, "However, maintaining a substantial retail presence has perpetually constituted a central focus of our enterprise. With a global network encompassing over 900 stores, we are ardently committed to driving foot traffic into our physical establishments."

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