• by Sarah Mahoney , Staff Writer, Yesterday

 
Bath & Body Works, well aware it’s time for major strategic changes if it wants to recapture growth, is flexing plenty of ambition. The mall-based stalwart just released its biggest brand campaign ever, with an underwear-clad Hilary Duff joyfully singing the praises of Fruit Fusion. Available in four scents -- Watermelon Whirl, Tangerine Twirl, Berry Bliss and Banana Blend -- it’s not just another fragrance launch. The company says the juicy collection marks its first formula under the “consumer first” transformation effort introduced last year, with a raft of body care products that deliver real hydration.  

The collection also differs in the range and type of products: Not just perfumes, body washes and creams, but lip oils, hand sanitizers, charms and coin purses.

The company also unveiled a new strategic partnership with Ulta, working with the mega-beauty retailer to bring an assortment of body care and home fragrance products to more than 600 Ulta locations, starting later this month. That launch involves some of Bath & Body Works best-known fragrances, and resurrects Juniper Breeze, a nostalgic favorite. That shift to broad retail partnerships fits with the launch of its products on Amazon last November, and the new fruit products will be sold there, as well.

As the company aims to return to growth, it’s aware it badly needs a new hit. Annual sales fell to $7.3 billion last year, from a pandemic-era peak of $7.8 billion. And for the coming year, it has forecast further declines, with sales expected to sink between 4.5% and 2.5%. And it’s been more than 20 years since it introduced Japanese Cherry Blossom, a scent that has generated some $1.5 billion for Bath & Body Works, according to the New York Times.

In teaming up with Hilary Duff, the company thinks it has landed on a face that not only spans generational appeal but also captures a very distinct vibe. Duff, 38 and on her first tour in 18 years, is more than just a child actress turned pop singer. In the monoculture of the aughts, her character on Disney’s 2001 hit “Lizzie McGuire” struck a chord of cute-and-plucky confidence, and she seemed a wholesome counterpart to stars like Britney Spears, who were going for all-out R-rated star power. That will likely resonate with millennial moms.

Since then, Duff has channeled that strength into body-positivity campaigns aimed at Gen Z, and the campaigns convey that sense of sass. Featured on the cover of a recent Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition in a plunging one-piece, she told podcaster Kylie Kelce that “no bikinis” had been her one stipulation when she took the assignment. She says she told the team, “Hey, I’m not going to wear a bikini. Like, I have had four kids.”

Bath & Body Works hopes that kind of “sexy on her own terms” energy comes through in the creative, which is running on YouTube, connected TV, social media, in-store and out-of-home placements in major markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Phoenix, with placements near Duff’s concert venues. And Duff is using the products in her everyday routine on Instagram and TikTok, where she reaches 30 million followers.

Social media matters more than ever in beauty, as younger consumers have flocked to TikTok for fragrance trends and have demanded greater ingredient transparency. Notably, the Fruit Fusion line is vegan and made without sulfates, parabens, and phthalates, and includes ingredients such as shea butter, coconut oil, and hyaluronic acid.

Bath & Body Works hopes Fruit Fusion will grow into a long-term franchise, and in the announcement, the company says it shows where the new identity is headed: “A brand that leads with performance, shows up in culture, and builds products consumers come back to every day.”