NEW VOICES: Cosmetics Company Launches Death Penalty Documentary, Abolition Campaign

Lush Cosmetics announced on May 15 it has launched a commercial effort to raise awareness about capital punishment and support the abolition of the death penalty. The company’s “Death ≠ Justice” campaign includes the release of a short documentary, “Exonerated,” which tells the story of Ohio death-row exoneree Kwame Ajamu. Ajamu (then 17 years old), his brother Ronnie Bridgman, and Ricky Jackson were wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death in 1975. They were exonerated 39 years later in 2014, after the single eyewitness in the case — a 13-year-old boy who later said he had been coerced by police into falsely implicating them — recanted. Lush is hosting events across the country featuring exonerees and activists, with the goal of educating their customers about the issue. Carleen Pickard, the Ethical Campaigns Specialist at Lush, said, “In 2016, death sentences, executions and support for capital punishment were at an historic low, making flaws and failures of the death penalty more apparent than ever. It’s an important time to continue the momentum that 90 million Americans have built. The more people learn about the death penalty, the less they like it, and we’re excited to bring this important issue to our customers.” As part of the campaign, Lush has introduced a new product it calls “31 States,” an almond- and- rosewood-infused bath bomb whose name reflects the fact that 31 states currently have the death penalty. Lush says it hopes to change that by donating 100% of the product’s profits to organizations such as Witness to Innocence, Death Penalty Focus, and the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty that, the company says “are working to mobilize and engage Americans and empower exonerees to abolish capital punishment in the United States.” Earlier this year, as part of the company’s social justice initialtives, Lush donated profits from a limited-edition shampoo bar to fight animal cruelty and released a Valentine’s Day ad that featured same-sex couples.

(S. Wu, “Lush Cosmetics Partners With the National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty,” Teen Vogue, May 15, 2017; J. Anderson, “Buying A Lush Bath Bomb Can Help Fight The Death Penalty,” Refinery29, May 15, 2017; “Exonerated,” Lush Cosmetics, May 15, 2017; Press Release, “NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS HOSTING SERIES OF EVENTS TO HIGHLIGHT FLAWS OF THE DEATH PENALTY AND CALL FOR ABOLITION,” May 15, 2017.) See New Voices.