The Body Shop
Case Study
Realizing a Bold New Approach to ActivismBuilding Call It Spring’s Brand Purpose Strategy
Background
Call It Spring, a fashion brand, approached Yulu seeking to strengthen its brand identity by aligning its narrative with values that resonate in an increasingly purpose-conscious market.
Challenge
The brand faced a gap between its commercial positioning and its aspirations to be more socially and environmentally responsible. As consumers and stakeholders began placing higher value on ethics and sustainability, Call It Spring needed a clear, authentic brand purpose and communication strategy — not just a superficial branding exercise. Without this clarity, there was a risk of misalignment between brand messaging, consumer expectations, and long-term impact goals.
““Yulu's team are social impact experts. They have significant experience working with various organizations to help formulate what the basis of their social impact should be, and we have a lot of trust in what they do. They’ve been incredibly helpful in guiding the conversation for us both internally and externally. We were lucky to find a communication agency that specializes in this niche area.””
Solution: Yulu’s Approach
Yulu developed a comprehensive Brand Purpose Strategy tailored to Call It Spring’s goals. The work included:
- Conducting stakeholder and audience research to understand values, motivations, and expectations.
- Defining a core purpose and values framework that balanced commercial objectives with social and environmental integrity.
- Crafting a storytelling narrative and messaging architecture to embed purpose across brand communications, from campaigns and product launches to digital presence.
- Advising on brand positioning that reflects long-term impact, sustainability, and ethical consumer values.
- Supporting internal alignment so that the brand’s teams, from design to marketing, were invested in purpose-led storytelling and values.
Results & Impact
Through this purpose-driven brand repositioning, Call It Spring gained a stronger, more consistent identity, one that resonates with values-driven consumers. The newly aligned brand purpose enabled clearer, more meaningful communications, improved stakeholder trust, and set the foundation for longer-term impact initiatives.
While some results (such as deeper brand loyalty, improved consumer sentiment, or long-term sustainability outcomes) are ongoing, the project established a crucial baseline: a robust values framework and communication strategy that positions Call It Spring for future growth in the evolving ethical fashion market.
Key Takeaways & Lessons Learned
- Purpose matters: Aligning brand identity with real values strengthens brand authenticity in a shifting socio-cultural context.
- Strategy underpins storytelling: A clear values framework ensures consistency across messaging, internal alignment, and long-term brand behaviour.
- Build for the future: Purpose-driven positioning establishes a foundation for sustainable growth and stakeholder trust beyond immediate campaign cycles.
- Transparency and integrity: Purpose strategies must translate into action — not only in marketing messages but in brand operations, product decisions, and communications.
Related Work
Red Bull Amaphiko: Yulu designed and executed a social-innovation PR program that “gave wings” to grassroots social entrepreneurs, driving 100+ media stories, 500 + applicants and over 500,000 social impressions while positioning Red Bull as a credible ally to changemakers.
Audible: Yulu helped launch the Indigenous Writers’ Circle, a culturally-grounded mentorship and storytelling program that supports emerging First Nations, Inuit and Métis authors in Canada, building long-term career pathways, media visibility, and community engagement.
The Body Shop: Yulu partnered with The Body Shop to redevelop a bold activism and social-purpose framework, reestablishing its voice in sustainable beauty through inclusive marketing, environmental commitments and internal purpose-driven systems.
Amazon: Yulu supported Amazon’s sustainability communications by creating a unified social-media campaign that authentically shares the company’s environmental commitments, helping translate corporate sustainability efforts into accessible narratives for wide audiences.
Audible | Social Purpose PR Strategy & Indigenous-Led Program
Interested in purpose-driven brand strategy and impact communications? Get in touch with our team to explore how Yulu can help your brand define its purpose and amplify its impact. Contact us.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Call It Spring need a brand purpose strategy?
Call It Spring was looking to strengthen its brand identity and better align its messaging with the expectations of today’s values-driven consumers. As interest in ethical fashion and sustainable practices continued to grow, the brand needed a clear, authentic purpose to guide storytelling, stakeholder communications, and long-term positioning.
What research or insights informed Yulu’s approach?
Yulu began with stakeholder and audience research to understand consumer motivations, values, and expectations around sustainability and social impact. These insights shaped a purpose framework and messaging architecture that reflected Call It Spring’s aspirations while staying grounded in what mattered most to its audience.
How did Yulu help Call It Spring define its brand purpose?
Yulu developed a custom Brand Purpose Strategy that included defining Call It Spring’s purpose and values framework, crafting a cohesive narrative, and building messaging guidelines that could be activated across campaigns, product storytelling, internal communications, and digital channels. This ensured purpose was embedded in both brand expression and business decision-making.
What were the outcomes of the project?
The refreshed brand purpose provided Call It Spring with a more meaningful and differentiated identity, enabling clearer and more consistent communication. It strengthened consumer trust, supported long-term impact goals, and laid the foundation for purpose-driven storytelling across future campaigns and initiatives.
How does this work connect to Yulu’s expertise in impact communications?
This project reflects Yulu’s belief that purpose must be strategic, actionable, and authentic. The work done for Call It Spring demonstrates how impact-driven communications can help brands clarify their mission, future-proof their positioning, and build lasting alignment between consumer expectations and business strategy.