E-Poll Market Research

Fitness Brands: Who Are The Disruptors of 2019?

While typical fitness brands like gyms have usually benefited from the “new year, new me” surge, new disruptor brands are now offering alternatives for health and wellness seekers.

Top Fitness Brands

With the emergence of apps and social media, brands have started to challenge the traditional model of simply going to the gym. Using E-Score® Brand, we surveyed the fitness industry from challengers to incumbents, to see what sort of obstacles and opportunities these brands are facing.

  • Despite low Awareness, fitness apps like Under Armour’s MyFitnessPal and MapMyRun are among the highest Appeal (66% and 46%, respectively) of all fitness brands. Emerging brands like Peloton, which introduce a social aspect, see early indicators of success in attributes like Cutting Edge (22%).
  • Group workout brands Tough Mudder and Spartan Race score above average in Appeal (30% and 44%, respectively) and lead most fitness brands in Fun (32%, 34%).
  • Established  fitness brands like Gold’s Gym and Planet Fitness hold a lead in Awareness, yet their familiarity may have peaked in Appeal. Consumer Comments like “old school gym” and “this gym has been around for decades and has several famous users” show the impact of their brand recognition.
 

Fitness Among Younger and Older Consumers

Older consumers have higher Awareness of long-established fitness centers, yet younger demographics are more likely to be fitness conscious. That leaves an interesting marketing decision for established brands:  do we adapt to attract a younger but more mercurial demo, or do we fortify our offerings for the older and more  financially dependable demo?

  • Consumers under age 35 are more Aware and have higher Usage (66%) of MyFitnessPal than older consumers (56%) but the brand appeals equally to both age groups.
  • While Weight Watchers has seen a dip in its Awareness due to their rebranding to WW, Usage among the younger demographic nearly matches the older consumers. This suggests that their shift to focus on health, fitness, and weight-loss may help WW connect with younger generations in the long run.
 

Brand Loyalty Among Health Seekers

While fitness gets more media coverage in the New Year, the industry has become a year-round marketing boom.  Using E-Score Brand, we found some of the top brands across various categories among consumers who consider health, diet, and fitness important to them.

  • While sports and fitness apparel are among the biggest beneficiaries of health-minded consumers, Supreme is also a favorite among health seekers and boasts the top Brand Loyalty score (95) among all top brands in all the categories.
  • Electronic devices are popular among health seekers, making the consumer product category key. Apple’s iPhone is the brand of choice boasting 63% Brand Loyalty and Awareness among three fourths of consumers.

Resources

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