Ulta Beauty Taps Deepak Chopra, Olympic Gymnast Laurie Hernandez to Form Joy Council
Ulta Beauty is doubling down on its mission to spark joy.
One year after launching The Joy Project, the retailer is introducing a Deepak Chopra-led Joy Council in a bid to further its mission of combating negative self-talk and other joy-inhibiting practices among its community.
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As part of the initiative, Chopra has been named Ulta’s honorary chief of joy and will work alongside fellow council members including Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Laurie Hernandez; motivational speaker and fitness instructor Ally Love, and relationship expert and author Jillian Turecki to share practices intended to foster a sense of well-being.
The content produced by the members — including a “21 Days of Joy Mantras” series led by Chopra, plus myriad tips for navigating relationships and self-expression from Love, Turecki and Hernandez — will be available exclusively via Ulta’s owned social media channels and, eventually, a “joy hub” on ulta.com.
“Since launching The Joy Project this time last year…we knew it was more than a brand campaign — it’s our purpose,” said Ulta’s chief marketing officer, Michelle Crossan-Matos. “We’re tapping into [the council’s] superpowers to help our guests incorporate joy into their lifestyle, as we want joy to be a state of being, versus a fleeting emotion.”
Prior to launching The Joy Project last September in partnership with lawyer, podcast host and author Mel Robbins, Ulta commissioned a study examining common barriers to joy among 5,000 adults and teens. Called The Joy Study, the survey found that 73 percent of those surveyed experienced negative self-talk, while 70 percent reported not recognizing negative self-talk while engaging in it.
Through video trainings crafted by Robbins for the retailer’s 53,000 associates, who were then encouraged to spread the knowledge to Ulta guests, the retailer sought to combat harmful self-talk and other joy-inhibiting practices among its community.
With the formation of the Joy Council, Ulta aims to bring this mission to new heights.
“The types of tools and resources our council members will share are approachable, attainable and relatable practices which have a big impact on our state of well-being,” said Crossan-Matos.
Added Chopra, who has authored several perennial bestselling books including “The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success,” in a statement: “I am delighted to be working with Ulta Beauty, as The Joy Project is fully aligned with my life’s work. Together we can reach a critical mass of people for a more peaceful, just, sustainable, healthier and joyful world. It is the most urgent need of our times.”
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