Bath & Body Works

CAMPAIGNS | BRANDING

Marketing Campaign

ROLE : LEAD DESIGNER

Project Overview

Bath & Body Works, a leading U.S. retailer in personal care and home fragrance, operates over 425 international franchise locations. To streamline its resources for employee growth, development, and well-being, the company launched the “Investing in You” campaign. This internal initiative aims to raise awareness of available resources among employees and attract potential candidates. The task was to create a unique logo and design concept for the campaign, aligned with Bath & Body Works’ corporate branding.

TL;DR | Project Summary

For this project, the aim was to create a logo and concept for Bath & Body Works that felt bright, happy, and relatable. In collaboration with my creative director, we developed a concept that aligned with the Bath & Body Works brand while introducing fresh visual elements. The logo incorporates three main components: people (employees), programs (campaign breadth), and connections (linking people, brand, and programs). The design features the “B” from the Bath & Body Works wordmark, rotated 90 degrees, and interlocking pillars inspired by the company’s “gingham pattern.”

For the design concept, my team and I developed a theme titled the “Power of AND” showcasing the company’s commitment to employee investment and career equity. This theme highlights how “Investing in You” embodies the power to achieve more, using the ampersand from the Bath & Body Works wordmark. The design demonstrates care for associates at all levels, with the campaign resulting in greater visibility and utilization of programs, enhancing employee experience and job satisfaction.

Part I – Logo Process

The first part of the project was to design a logo for this campaign. Some of the key parameters I worked with initially, included the need for it to be eye-catching and closely aligned with the overall purpose and goals of the campaign. The client also shared that they would like the logo to have its own unique identity, but at the same time, illustrate a clear connection to Bath & Body Works, reflecting the brand’s values and image. My biggest challenge was trying to find this precise balance between a logo that has its own unique personality and story, while adhering closely to the Bath & Body Works brand. I also wanted to create a logo that was versatile enough to be used across a number of different communication platforms and mediums.

My approach to this challenge was to draw inspiration from the heart of the Bath & Body Works brand itself. Given its iconic and recognizable status, I wanted to honor the essence of their renowned logo while seamlessly integrating it into this new campaign logo. The challenge was to do this in a way that was both thoughtful and innovative—avoiding a direct reliance on the existing logo while ensuring the design remained grounded and connected. The solution was to shift my perspective and explore the brand’s logo identity from a different angle.

A key element to this logomark that I aimed to highlight were the ‘people’ iconography. The “bodies” of the people in the center are creatively derived from the “B” in the Bath & Body Works wordmark, rotated 90º to form a symbolic representation of the brand’s identity. It’s also an expression of how the employees are at the core of the “Investing in You” campaign. Additionally, it acts as an ‘easter egg’ detail that once you see, you won’t be able to unsee!

The framing pillars visually represent the broad scope of the “Investing in You” campaign, encompassing multiple programs that are all interconnected. Additionally, the overlapping pillars also emphasize how each program is linked to the larger campaign. The overall design of the logo showcases how Bath & Body Works supports its associates holistically, reinforcing the idea that the brand and the campaign are deeply connected to the people they serve.

Part II – Concept Design Process

The second part of the project was to design the overall visual concept for this campaign. Some of the key parameters I worked with included focusing on themes that define the benefits and importance of the “Investing in You” campaign as well as connecting visually with the positive tone of the Bath & Body works brand. My biggest hurdle was defining a visual approach that is joyful, celebratory, and purposeful relative to the campaign and one that can become an indistinguishable part of the larger Bath & Body Works brand and identity.

Together with my team, we brainstormed over different overarching themes that aligned to the project’s parameters and expressed the campaign’s voice and tone. Ultimately, we landed on a theme titled the ‘Power of AND’ evoking inspiration from the ampersand; ever-present in the Bath & Body Works name and logo and representing the idea that the initiative is about creating opportunities to do more. Once we settled on this direction, my methodology to convey this concept visually was to utilize an existing element that is foundational to the Bath & Body Works brand, the ‘gingham’ pattern that comprises of a modular grid in tones of blue and white.

This modular system allows for flexible storytelling—whether showcasing the company’s broad investment in employees at all levels or focusing on specific groups. The ampersand in the design is very prominent, drawing the audiences’ eyes to it immediately, showcasing the message loud and clear that employees can do more of everything they want. The overall visual approach feels very familiar to the main corporate brand, adding an additional layer of connection to the Bath & Body Works name and logo.