Attention, fitness brands: people spend more time online than in the gym.
But fret not and think of it as your fair advantage to reach more audiences.
Your online ads are more likely to reach your target market.
You can count on paid advertising to reinforce your message, build your brand, and generate sales.
As the saying goes…go where your customers hang out.
But the challenge is, how do you make your ads stand out from the crowd?
We’re glad to share with you marketing insights we’ve analyzed from some of the major fitness direct-to-consumer brands with examples to inspire you when creating competitive ads.
Get ready to pick up tons of ad tactics in the coming sections!
Next up…
- Highlight your products’ unique features and benefits
- Provide compelling reviews and real-life transformation videos
- Include workout videos of fitness professionals
- Target customer pain points
- Show a side-by-side comparison between your product and others
- Pour creativity into introducing your brand
Highlight your products’ unique features and benefits
Almost every successful piece of marketing includes a strong offer.
That’s why it’s important to highlight how your product can be beneficial to the customers in your ads.
Focus on what creates value for your audience.
Your unique proposition can set you apart from the heavy competition.
To effectively communicate the benefits and features of their products, Hyperice uses catchphrases (a.k.a. hooks) such as “Four reasons to try ____” and “This is the___and it is my go-to for all things__”.
They use high-quality videos of a model demonstrating the use of the product to illustrate their features.
To increase customer recall, they don’t overcrowd the copy.
Instead, they break large amounts of messages into numbered blocks with huge text as a visual aid.
Provide compelling reviews and real-life transformation videos
One of the first things that people do before investing in major purchases like gym equipment is to binge-read reviews online.
Since fitness equipment does not yield instantly visible results, it’s helpful to share transformation videos and success stories from existing customers.
This video ad from Clmbr shares a testimonial from a happy customer.
The content is engaging because it shows the product in use while the model discusses reasons why she loves the equipment.
It leverages the power of customer persuasion by starting off the video with the statement “I CANNOT TELL YOU HOW IN LOVE I AM WITH CLMR”.
This one-liner affirmation substantially impacts the audience who might just be on the verge of choosing the right product and want to have this kind of push.
This video from Peloton helps ease buyers’ decision-making process.
It utilizes impressive storytelling to make the viewer feel something that will inspire them to take action.
Brands that tell stories more, sell more.
In the video, they tap into the power of relatability as it narrates a common problem for at-home fitness enthusiasts and how Peloton has provided the perfect solution.
The amount of detail they put in the narration (e.g. the instructor named Alex, the hip-hop music that accompanies the training, etc.) and the shoutout at the latter part of the video is just so fun and relatable. “Whoo. Shout out to you, baby” – so cool, just want to point that out!
Include workout videos of fitness professionals
Spotlighting professional athletes and coaches in your ads gives you credibility and inspires your audience.
Endorsements from famous personalities use the status and image of the personality to enhance brand recognition and recall.
It creates a good reputation, making your brand connected to a well-regarded celebrity.
Tonal embraces this strategy as shown in the examples below featuring a famous athlete Lebron James and an expert coach Tony Horton.
The video ad not only identifies Lebron James as a real consumer but also shows how he uses the product with the Weight on. Weight off. Repeat. process.
He also goes on to show how Tonal completely covers his workout routine requirements, adding more value to the product.
Here’s another video that connects exceptionally well with the audience.
Tony Horton asserts that Tonal wins over the gym while focusing on two main factors that customers are known to consider: convenience and consistency.
Your fitness products are there to provide solutions, which brings us to our next key point…
Target customer pain points
Your customers are always looking for ways to achieve their fitness goals or ease their problems.
Whether it’s losing weight, having toned body muscles, attaining a certain level of wellness, or even just feeling good about themselves, your products must target pain points or the things that interfere with realizing their goals.
By understanding the challenges your customers face, you can tailor your messaging and offer to better meet their needs.
This can also help improve customer satisfaction and loyalty to your brand.
Let’s take a look at this ad from Tonal, where they incorporate important elements such as solution-focused marketing, humor, and color.
It targets a common pain point with the opening statement “Tired of your boring home workout routine?". Then it goes on to enumerate problems reenacted by the model.
They play with colors by using grayscale in the first part of the video to create a gloomy atmosphere around the problem they’ve identified.
Then, they switch to color when they introduce the product, which contrasts with the grayscale footage earlier, thereby creating a more positive association.
Show a side-by-side comparison between your product and others
Identify any areas where your product is stronger than those of your competitors and highlight them thoroughly in your ads.
To do this, you can use simple bullet point texts like what Peloton does here.
Comparison tables and bullet points are easily digestible and create higher recall compared to plain text or an overcrowded format.
Comparisons provide a better understanding of your product's advantage over the others. It’s a clear communication tool to answer questions as to why choosing your product is the right decision.
Pour creativity when introducing your brand
Think outside the box and pour out some creative ideas to encourage clicks and keep your brand top of mind.
Creative advertising is a form of marketing that uses original concepts, designs, and storytelling to get the message across.
It’s often used to introduce a brand or new products.
We love this example from Peloton.
It uses an unconventional top-view shot. The movements are playful.
The most important aspect is that they can convey the concept of Peloton logo using actions alone. Here, the symbolism plays a major role in disseminating the brand message.
With most people being health conscious, fitness has become a booming industry, creating heavy competition in the field.
With the proven effectiveness of advertising, your brand can find its optimal place in the fitness industry.
Did you know that you can track the ads run by your competitors and brands in nearly every industry, combining several networks (Facebook, TikTok, Google, etc.)?
Analyze their strategies, get inspiration, and come up with a competitive plan in just one platform with Panoramata.
