One such advertisement reads, "there are three billion women who don’t look like supermodels and only eight who do."

Besides tackling topics that intimidate other companies, the Body Shop also uses unconventional methods to sell its products, according to Martin.

"We're not going to say buy this product and it's totally going to change your life," Martin says. "Our products do what we say they're going to do. Nothing more."

photo: The Body Shop

The Body Shop tries to dispel beauty stereotypes and help women become less concerned about their bodies.

kellogg’s campaign

When Kellogg’s Special K cereal realized that campaigns featuring young, thin models barely squeezing into tight clothes alienated their older audience, they immediately set to work on a new tactic, according to Kenna Bridges, manager of public relations for the cereal company.

"Our consumers told us they really couldn't relate to advertising techniques that used unrealistic body images," Bridges says. "They said that they couldn’t live up to the standards of beauty dictated by advertisers."