LIVE ISSUE/THE BODY SHOP.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

The Body Shop is ping to have to take its marketing seriously

So it's finally happened. The hippy "we don't need advertising" ethos of The Body Shop appears to be drawing to a close. In the end, though, few will be surprised by the news that the ethical retailer is considering the appointment of an advertising agency.

The Body Shop has seen a sharp downturn in fortunes over the past few years, going from consumers' favourite to something approaching also-ran. The company's image has lost much of its edge and its most recent set of results showed profits falling from 38 million [pounds sterling] to 25 million [pounds sterling].

Anita Roddick, the high-profile founder of the firm -- and human embodiment of the shop's values -- has taken a back seat in management since floating the company in 1984. The firm's valuation soared to 700 million [pounds sterling] in 1992, but is now languishing at half that.

Observers believe that Roddick's role will further decrease once The Body Shop is sold. The board of Body Shop International has admitted discussions with prospective buyers, and the possible loss of the store's public figurehead would make the need for a new approach to communications all the more pressing.

Roddick's dealings with agencies were strongly influenced by her own ethical agenda, which is sceptical of advertising. Her most consistent dealings have been with St Luke's, which was first appointed in 1994 (when the agency was still Chiat Day) but which has worked only intermittently with The Body Shop. Below ...