Consumer Trend Focus: Health & Wellness

Take the pulse of your audience: are your followers buying natural foods, signing up for yoga classes, and blogging about stress reduction? If so, they are right on trend with the millions of American consumers who are increasingly interested in health and wellness.

Over the past decade the nationwide conversation about healthy living has dramatically changed. Buzz words of the ‘00s like "Atkins" and "Hydroxycut" have been replaced by "organic," "holistic," and "pilates." Dieting is increasingly a thing of the past as consumers turn more and more toward  proactive, whole body wellness: eating natural foods, exercising, and managing stress. 

A few numbers make the trends very clear:

• Sales of natural and organic food and beverages saw 85% growth between 2005-2009 (source)
• Total consumer spending on yoga increased a staggering 87% between 2004 and 2012, up to $5.7 billion (source)
• Gym membership numbers have increased considerably over the past decade, rising almost 20% since 2002 (source)

Brands across a variety of categories are bringing a health and wellness face to their image, particularly through strategic partnerships -- showing it doesn't just have to be athletic brands talking about healthy living!

This data leads us to ask: 

How can your brand connect the dots between what you stand for and your consumers’ desires to lead healthier lifestyles? 

A few of our favorite examples are below.

Fruit of the Loom:
This Summer, Fruit of the Loom launched an exciting new campaign called “Move to Comfort” which sought to keep the brand fresh for its older base while attracting a more youthful audience as well. The program highlighted the ease and comfort associated with wearing Fruit of the Loom cotton while naturally aligning with wellness trends.

As part of the campaign, the brand created a customer engagement program called "The Next Big Move." Fans were invited to show off their dance moves to win a spot on a future brand commercial. The nationwide contest stirred energy and enthusiasm, encouraging consumers to live the active life that so many want -- by getting out and getting active.

SpaFinder: 

SpaFinder, the online hub for all things spa and massage related found a great match with the EIF Revlon Run/Walk last Spring. The sponsorship helped the brand show 100,000 consumers that spa treatments and massage therapy are just as much about self-care as they are about luxury -- if not even more so!

SpaFinder brought professional massage therapists to their booth at the event's Health Expo and spoke with consumers about the proven health benefits associated with taking time to relax.

Fiji Water: 

When designer Vivienne Tam revealed her new line of yoga wear at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, Fiji Water was on hand to provide refreshment. The creative launch, which took place in Lincoln Center's entry courtyard, featured a "live sculpture garden" yoga demonstration.

Twenty svelt yogis moved in Tam's attire and sipped Fiji water in front of trendsetting crowds. The brand soaked up the positive affiliation while busy photographers and bloggers captured the moment.