Bath & Body Works, which recently celebrated 35 years in the USA, is expanding its focus in travel retail while maintaining the playful, fragrance-first identity that made it a household name.
Executive Vice President, International Tony Garrison recently spoke to The Moodie Davitt Report about the brand’s global ambitions, its product innovations and how it engages with international travellers.
“What’s great about Bath & Body Works is that while we offer a wide range of products for both body and home, we balance our core customer favourites with new fragrances introduced each season,” he says.
Long-standing favourites such as Japanese Cherry Blossom and A Thousand Wishes continue to draw loyal consumers, but the brand also places strong emphasis on regular innovation. Garrison comments: “Every time a customer visits, she’ll find something new. With over 200 SKUs in our portfolio, there’s always something that will resonate with her. That’s the magic of Bath & Body Works.”
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Central to the brand’s philosophy is the idea of “affordable luxury”. Garrison explains: “We let the consumer define luxury for us. We put the same care and attention into our product design and fragrances as any prestige brand, working with the best fragrance houses in the world, but we make it an affordable luxury for her.”
The products themselves are crafted to reflect a wide range of moods and moments. “We think of it in terms of moments – when she wants to pamper herself, we have fragrances that lift her up and make her feel good. The lighter, ozonic scents energise her while the deeper, darker fragrances feel sexy and indulgent. Our aromatherapy options are made with essential oils that relax and rejuvenate,” says Garrison.
This emphasis on play and discovery carries through to the in-store experience. He adds: “We want the customer to be in discovery mode and find what resonates with her. In the stores, our sales team can guide her, but the experience is simple enough that even in an airport, she can discover her favourite fragrance on the go.”
Creating a “wow” moment for travellers, Garrison explains, is about both variety and engagement. “She’s on a journey when she engages with us, and we want to make that experience more special through experimentation,” he says. “The wow moment comes when she sees 14 different fragrances and knows one of them will appeal to her. We also offer gift sets for those looking for something extra. It’s all about discovery and the playful experience.”
Bath & Body Works’ product portfolio balances reliability with seasonal innovation. Garrison notes, “Japanese Cherry Blossom has been with us since 2006 and remains one of our top ten fragrances globally because it’s a customer favourite.
“While the shopper returns to her favourite scents for comfort and consistency, she can also discover something new, like a seasonal fragrance such as Cashmere.”
The brand has expanded beyond bodycare into home fragrances and portable hygiene products. “We started out and invented the fragrant bodycare category, but we’ve extended into home with candles, our patented Wallflower diffuser system, and hand soaps and PocketBacs,” he explains.
“These are different fragrances, but they’re portable – perfect for backpacks or purses, simple or glitzy. They deliver a fragrance experience and are also effective, killing 99.9% of germs, especially important for travellers post-pandemic.”
Ingredients and product benefits are central to the brand’s appeal. Garrison says: “We are fragrance-first, but because of the attention we put into our formulas, the products also have benefits. Our body mist can be used on hair and body, and our lotions offer 24-hour moisture with ingredients such as vitamin E and hyaluronic acid.
“They smell great, but they’re also good for you. That resonates with younger consumers who care about ingredients, and it brings me joy to know they’re good for the customer and good for the world.”
When it comes to global expansion, the brand is combining consistency with regional tailoring. “Wherever we are in the world, customers can find great fragrances they trust. But preferences vary – darker, richer scents do well in the Middle East, while lighter fragrances like Gingham resonate in Southeast Asia. Gifting is also big there, so we adjust assortments accordingly,” says Garrison.
Cultural celebrations also help the brand connect meaningfully with consumers. He notes: “We run special programmes for Diwali, Ramadan, Lunar New Year, Raya, King’s Day and so on. This transforms our products into relevant gifting moments that feel personal – she thinks, ‘This is for me’.
“I want to work with partners to create events and activations that make the experience even more fun and relevant for the customer. I also want to learn from the best of the best on how we can deliver Bath & Body Works experiences, whether in-store or digital.”
Looking ahead, the brand aims to expand its travel retail footprint and reach more global travellers. Garrison remarks, “We have just under 100 locations in the channel, which is why we’re focused on finding the right strategic partners to help take the equity we built in the USA and deliver it to international customers.” ✈
