It’s hard to believe that two 19-year-olds started a business back in 2012 and today achieved a valuation of $1.3 billion (only 13 years later!), But this is the reality for fitness apparel brand, Gymshark.
Positioned as a gym brand (as opposed to an athleisure or sports brand), Gymshark quickly moved from drop-shipping to retail and manufacturing, becoming a global phenomenon with 7.4 million followers on Instagram, and £200 million in revenue.
Along their journey, Gymshark has made some really smart marketing decisions that have resulted in this success. Here are some of the tactics they undertook and how you may be able to apply them to your own brand.
1. Engage influencers
Influencers were part of Gymshark’s marketing mix even back in 2013. Initially choosing to partner with popular YouTubers, the brand grew organically within casual and dedicated gym-goer audiences.
Growth accelerated when they moved into the world of social media influencers. Critically, however, Gymshark focuses on influencers who embody the brand’s values. Today, their “Gymshark Athletes” are a diverse mix, from the OGs Lex Griffin and Chris Lavado (the aforementioned YouTubers), to Whitney Simmons, an Instagram Influencer with psoriasis, and TikToker Leana Deeb, who pioneered hijab wraps long before the big brands.
The benefits of influencer marketing
- Builds reach and credibility through a dedicated following of people who trust the influencer’s recommendations.
- Generates new content for your brand through the engaging content the influencer creates, helping to keep things fresh while reaching new audiences.
- Increases brand visibility and revenue as influencer content can drive traffic to your website, with people searching for that product or service.
But, and it’s a big BUT, we do have one caveat: choose influencers who align with your brand’s values and goals. Without this alignment, it will seem like your business is choosing who’s popular over what’s genuine – and followers see right through it.
How can you partner with influencers?
- Do your research – know your target audience and find influencers who resonate, align with your brand and values.
- Reach out to influencers to discuss what’s possible. Be prepared to give away products for free and pay a fee for posts. Many influencers rely on this to make a living. It’s your audience, and their personal brand, you’re investing in. Agree on the level of content upfront – e.g. a post, story, reel, series of videos, mentions, collabs etc.
- Ensure you’re set up to report on the results: from tracking the source of website traffic to attributing sales and enquiries, and measuring revenue and engagement.
2. Build a community
Initially built on their content strategy (see: influencers above), Gymshark has branched out into Lift and pop-up events and their annual Gymshark66 Challenge (it takes 66 days to build a habit). Additionally, their app allows you to follow, build, and track workouts for FREE (on iOS and Android).
By engaging with its global community, through its owned channels and influencers, Gymshark has built a loyal following. One thing is for certain, from 1 January, #Gymshark66 floods all social media platforms, including my own (created specifically for taking part in the challenge, of course).
The benefits of community building
When customers feel like they’re part of something, they’re more likely to stay loyal and spread the word among their friends, family, and networks.
Customers who feel like they belong are less likely to go anywhere else.
How can you build a community?
- Find out what else your audience likes. If they’re business owners, do they value networking, or prefer to unplug and spend time with their loved ones? Understanding what drives your audience, particularly their aspirations and what makes them feel like they belong, will be essential in finding new ways to engage with them.
- Brainstorm some ways you can engage with them outside of the direct B2C or B2B avenues. These might include hosting virtual or in-person events where you provide value to attendees for free, creating a brand ambassador program, or offering rewards and recognition.
- Implement your ideas. The goal here is to add value, create a sense of belonging, and celebrate those in your community.
3. Give back
Gymshark is not only great at building and engaging with its community but also giving back. In the past few years, Gymshark has:
- Partnered with mental health charity, Calm, and encouraged their male influencers to talk about how they’re feeling.
- Opened a barber shop in London for a week-long event offering free haircuts and a mental health chat.
- Created the Changemaker’s Grant, 3 x $10,000 grants available for female-owned organisations that drive change in their local community for women in fitness, health and wellness.
- Partnered with Thrift+, a UK donation and resale service for second-hand branded clothing.
- Raised money for the National Health Service UK and the Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
The benefits of giving back
When businesses do good for the communities in which they live and work, customers feel good about doing business with them.
How can you give back?
- Do your research and find organisations and not-for-profits in your region that resonate with your brand’s values.
- Look for ways you can donate – whether it’s a workplace clothing bin, a monetary donation, or offering your services for free.
- Seek ways to partner on a campaign or event. Ensure this isn’t just for show; if you can, go one step further than simply sponsoring a table at an event, and encourage your employees to volunteer/be involved.
- Share what you’re doing in newsletters and social media, and encourage your customers to take the time to give what they can too.
4. Innovate products and services
Gymshark monitors trends, listens to customer feedback, and constantly introduces new styles, colours and products. It also involves its audiences in beta testing and surveys when developing new products. This approach means the brand keeps its products fresh and exciting, encouraging its customers to return time and again.
The benefits of innovating products and services
- Differentiating your brand: While you don’t need to be first, or completely different, you just need to deliver better, improved, or more customised than your competitor to be seen as an innovator.
- Positioning your brand as a market leader: This builds a positive brand reputation, in turn leading people to take notice, and engaging your services or purchasing your product, because you’re known for your quality and difference.
- Future-proofing your business: By constantly evolving and improving, you’ll stay competitive and relevant.
How can you innovate your products and services?
- Yep, you guessed it. Do your research. Understand the pain points, desires and expectations of your target audience; identify any emerging trends; listen to feedback provided by your customers; research your competitors to understand their products and services, and how they position themselves.
- Establish some goals around innovation e.g. you might be seeking to innovate a particular product or process. It’s helpful to improve on something existing when innovating for the first time.
- Generate ideas to improve your products and services, and focus on designing for real people with real problems.
- Assess the market potential, risks and feasibility for your ideas. Prioritise your ideas, and then develop prototypes or test your ideas with a small number of customers.
- Seek feedback on the improved product or service, and refine it based on this.
- Develop a clear strategy and then go to market.
- Monitor success and adjust as required.
More than just a brand…
Gymshark doesn’t just sell clothes, they sell a lifestyle, and they’ve built an impressive and loyal following. Over the past decade, they’ve been able to engage their audience in a way few other brands have, putting their customers at the forefront of everything they do. Take these lessons and apply them to your own business – we’d be keen to provide our marketing expertise at any stage of your journey.