Body Shop International - Swot Analysis

Strengths

- Lack of Marketing, guerrilla/viral strategy

- Connection to political issues

- Strong customer community

- Strong social mission

- Lack of shareholder "consideration"

- The first to break the market

Weaknesses

- Locus of power on Anita and Gordon Roddick

- Connection to political issues

- Not "purple" in the US Market (they have been copied)

Strengths

The Body Shop International has many strong traits of strength that have catapulted them into the limelight throughout the years. Many of them are extremely unique to their business which also grips them into political controversy and "drama" as they undergo "business as usual".

Their first strong strength revolves around The Body Shop's lack of a traditional marketing strategy. Instead, their focus rests on a viral marketing strategy where consumers/customers take the burden of advertising upon The Body Shop and tell their friends. It is completely free and is proven.

Building on their lack of a marketing program - The Body Shop has built an incredibly strong community of customers as they build up their "trade" dollars. Entering the viral strategy requires customers that are willing to go out of the way to "trade" and to tell their friends about the entire experience and their incredible community supports this strategy.

Their strong social mission helps to build upon the previous strength as another strength. Not only is The Body Shop paving the way for corporate responsibility and community engagement - but they are building a clientele that wildly supports their views and once again will tell their friends about it. The fact that they are changing the world seems to be just a small afterthought.

The Body Shop has many other strengths that stay out of the norm of traditional business. Their lack of shareholder "consideration" helps them to maintain their mission without the political decision making process that entails appeasing