E-Fitness

Who thought sitting on your computer, phone or tablet could inspire you to get fit and active? A whole new generation of fitness inspiration is here, E-Fitness. 

Sportswear brands like Lorna Jane or fitness instructors like Michelle Bridges are developing online fitness and health networks to create a motivating and inspirational place for individuals or groups to track their fitness and encourage many other likeminded indivudals as well.

The Lorna Jane free iPhone app allows users to use a gps tracking system when running, walking or cycling to track distance, speed, calories burned, total active time and pace. By reaching out to people through social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, the message sent through to consumers is Move, Nourish, Believe. 

This YouTube video is from the Lorna Jane website promoting their 'Now Move It' campaign.
@lornajaneactive

Michelle Bridges has a facebook site called ‘Michelle Bridges 12 Week Body Transformation’, which links to her website where you can sign up and make a payment for full meal plans workout plans etc. The facebook page however builds fan loyalty and increases users trust in her and her plans. She frequently posts recipes, inspirational quotes and motivating advice as well as keeping Australians up to date with fun runs, and activites, and all of this is on her Facebook. 

These health networks allow for individuals to post updates and photos of their progress and transformations to receive extra motivation from other network users and provide inspiration to others.

Instagram is another social media site that indivudals and companies are using to inspire and motivate others to get fit, active and healthy. 

Instagram currently has over 1 million photos posted with #fitness attached, 93,000 photos at #fitspiration over 1,3 million with #healthy attached and brands such as Lorna Jane, Nike, Puma and Asics are all using Instagram to connect with and inspire consumers.

So are these health networks targeting the wrong people or are they inspiring more Australians to get off the computer and get active? What do you think?

Nike E-Ambushing

Nike.

Where did the famous sportswear provider’s name originate from? Until a couple of days ago I along with half of Australia had no idea, until a broadcast of Sally Pearson’s medal ceremony at the Olympics on channel Nine. The camera zoomed in to have a good look at the shiny gold medal hanging from Sally’s neck and while discussing the design embossed on the medals the winning athletes were sporting they drew attention to the Greek Goddess featured on one side, who was it you ask? The Goddess Of Victory, Nike. While this was an interesting realisation for me I wondered how happy the people back at Adidas, the Official Olympic Sponsor, would be about the link of their major competitor to the most symbolic icon of the Olympic Games. 

Obviously Nike has a strong congruence with the Olympic Games just as their competitor Adidas does, but they saw no reason to fork out $60 million for a Sponsorship contract when there was a clear alternative, Ambush Marketing.

Cheaper, easy to articulate with the congruent nature of Sportswear and the Olympic Games, however Nike weren’t opting for the tacky option of bombarding viewers with commercial after commercial in the ad breaks of the Games broadcasting. No. They wanted to outwit their competitor, and do Ambush marketingwith class like a snide comment. 

So Nike launched a YouTube Ad highlighting the town, village or City of ‘London’ and the athletes who live there, however we’re not talking London, England. 

The clever ‘Find Your Greatness’ campaign highlights the average athlete, the one who isn’t a superstar or in a place with bright lights and people making speeches, but the athlete who can achieve Greatness in any place, in any country, anywhere around the world. With over 4 and a half million hits on YouTube, Nike has succeeded in a clever Ambush Marketing ploy to link themselves with The London 2012 Olympics. And the odd 1 or 2 athletes sporting Nikes doesn’t hurt either.