THE BIGGEST WELLNESS TRENDS TO LOOK OUT FOR

The wellness industry is constantly keeping us on our toes with new and innovative fitness classes, smoothie bars and fashionable athleisure wear. It’s no surprise that taking part in the next best fitness boutique is the trendy thing to do.  So what’s next in the wellness world? Mongoose recently attended the Welltodo summit in London, where brand leaders, innovators, start-ups and investors came together to share their experience and predictions for the future of the wellness industry.

Find some headspace

With stress and anxiety on the rise, mindfulness provides positive opportunities for growth with brands introducing mindfulness concepts to engage with customers. Vicky Ellison, Regional Director of Marketing at Equinox, explained that restoration will be part of Equinox’s plans in order to support the ongoing fitness performance of their members. Yoga and meditation will also become more socially acceptable in order for people to feel good and perform better physically and mentally. Digital apps such as headspace which focus on mindfulness and improving mental health are also on the rise.

Boutique fitness is big business

Boutique fitness is continuing to be on-trend as studios focus on building small communities as well as offering a premium, niche experience. Members want more interaction and a personalised experience when working out. Making members feel as though they are part of something increases member satisfaction therefore progression and results. This leads to client retention and growth as popular boutique studios aim to open 10-15 new locations in 2018.

Technology opens doors to fitness

Fitness facilities are beginning to offer workouts online and through apps. This is not only to compete with online fitness programmes, but also to provide people with fitness confidence and experience before converting them to the facility. 

To keep up with members and provide a customised approach, technology is being used to make more contact when they’re not at the gym. It is important to also provide a digital offering including accessible online videos, in addition to face-to-face contact to ensure the facility is always in touch even when the member is away on holiday. Fitness facilities are looking for ways to offer more guidance when the member is not in the gym, such as nutritional guidance to assist them with their overall wellness goals.

It’s easier to be healthy

A discussion around the wellness industry in the US was interesting in regards to predicting future trends in the UK. It was revealed that investors in the US are more open to meeting with start-up wellness brands and that there is promising potential for UK business to expand in the US.

Due to the increasing cost of healthcare, people are adopting healthy eating habits and improving their health through fitness activity in order to prevent chronic illnesses. Investors are looking for the next best thing for a population trending towards eating better and moving more.  

Keep your options open

Concepts such as Gym Pass and PayAsUGym are giving us more flexibility to keep our fitness fresh. These fitness passes allow us to engage in a variety of workouts without the year-long contract which has forced traditional gym chains to also participate in these flexible membership programmes.

Be Socially Savvy

Social media is flooded with high profile influencers constantly flaunting brands and products. Followers are becoming more savvy about the level of authenticity on the social media feed and influencers are responding to this by becoming more sensitive about the brands they support. When partnering with influencers, enter into the relationship for the right reasons. The most important thing for brands to think about is what they want to get out of the partnership. Is it to shift people’s’ perceptions of you? To reach people who don’t know you?  What assets do you have to give and what do you need from them?

The wellness industry is currently thriving with opportunities for companies to think about incorporating wellness concepts and partnership opportunities into their brand strategy - such as social media influencers, wellness activities and technology. How can you use some of these forward thinking trends and apply them to your communications strategy?