Last year Business Insider reported that “fitness has exploded into a nearly $100 billion global industry, as more people become obsessed with their health.”
If it was an obsession in 2019, it has been a survival technique in 2020 as many of us relied on fitness to bolster our physical and mental health. With more time at home, exercise became a boredom reliever, way to feel connected with others – and an excuse to leave the house!
Regimes are shifting
While 2020 had its fair share of niche wellness trends (cow hugging emerged as a new way to help reduce stress and increase positivity – yes, really), the most ubiquitous was the at home workout.
US brand Peleton saw its Q1 revenue soar 66% from the same period in 2019. Health and fitness apps saw similar success generally and downloads grew by 46% worldwide from Q1 to Q2. Brands like Gymshark and Nike rushed to get in on the act, filling their social feeds with routines their customers could follow at home, using household items as weights.
Activewear is booming
Whether we were buying activewear to keep up with our new home workout regime – or just settling into a comfier WFH lifestyle – the sector has also boomed.
ASOS said its activewear sales roughly doubled in the four months through 30 June (versus the same time last year) and Stylerunner says tracksuit sales were up 80%. In Australia, cult activewear brand PE Nation was caught off guard by this rush in demand. When they launched a digital ‘warehouse sale’ in April, the website crashed under the strain of 150,000 shoppers desperate to score some trendy trackies.
However Lorna Jane proved there was a thin line to tread. A range of leggings and tops, which they claimed would protect wearers from viruses and germs, had to be rebranded changing the word “virus” to “anti-bacterial” and the brand was fined $40,000.
As lounge and activewear continues to sell – and remote working has become the new normal – the fashion industry at large are pivoting to athleisure in the hope it will bolster their bottom lines. Mango for example just launched their new range.
How to get ahead in 2021
They say it takes 66 days to form a new habit. If that’s true, our workout regimes and love of activewear is set to continue into 2021. Here are our tips for brands looking to connect with customers on social:
#1 Offering valuable content
Home work out routines are still an effective way to build brand love and foster loyalty. But be warned, Zoom fatigue is very real! While audiences were happy with rough and ready content in the early days of lockdown while we all rushed to adapt to the uncertainty, the pressure to create more polished content is now on.
This is where highly relevant micro influencers can come in handy. Partnering with high-quality content creators, with a background in fitness, will bring value and authenticity to your content. Much-needed to stand out in an increasingly competitive space.
#2 Partner with diverse talent
Fitness is for everyone. The global activewear market, valued at $167.7bn in 2018, is expected to grow to $258bn by 2026, according to Allied Market Research. That is a wide range of body types and ages investing in activewear. Allowing your customers see themselves in your content is really persuasive. Rather than a single fitness model, partner with multiple influencers, with a diverse look and approach to cater to your different customers.
#3 Stand out with boosting
With so much value in the industry, new brands popping up and more fitness content being uploaded, social is becoming an ever busier and competitive space. To ensure your content cuts through the noise, consider amplifying it with boosting.
This paid media option allows you to ‘boost’ influencer posts into the feed’s of people who you are keen to target, but don’t necessarily already follow this influencer. This targeted approach will give your content a better chance of standing out and being seen by your customers.
Driving awareness for Huawei Watch Fit
When Huawei launched their latest fitness product, the Watch Fit, they wanted social content that could drive mass awareness, so turned to Vamp. Our community created and shared content that communicated the key features of the watch and showed how it enhanced their fitness and lifestyles. Then Vamp boosted this content, amplifying its impact and reaching a wider set of customers. See more.
- 502,000 customers reached
- 390% target impressions achieved
- 2.8% average engagement rate
