Category
Lifestyle
Assisted Choices
Trend cluster
Category
Fitness
Exchange
Athletic brands offer indulgent eats to balance strenuous physical activities.
4.6
Trend score
Trend
What is the Fitness Exchange trend?
Fitness Exchange: An offshoot of the “halfway healthy” phenomenon, we’re seeing fitness brands that traditionally host events like marathons go one step further with indulgent consumption rewards. Offering comfort foods like pizza and burgers to those who finish races or engage in active clubs, retailers are actively expanding what it means to live and lead a healthy lifestyle, through offering more indulgent offerings often not associated with such physical activity.
Insight
The consumer insight behind the Fitness Exchange trend
With the expansion of the wellness space and the re-marketing of more extreme forms of achieving "health," consumers are no longer focused on self-restricting as much as they are on maintaining balance. The North American consumer's approach to wellness is about taking an all-encompassing approach to health that focuses on moderation and offsetting both healthy and "unhealthy" habits--allowing them to indulge while still taking care of themselves. As a result, the demand for moderate brand-facilitated lifestyles is growing.
Trend themes
Themes within the Fitness Exchange trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Moderate-brand facilitated lifestyles
Fitness brands are offering indulgent consumption rewards that are often not associated with physical activity, to expand what it means to live and lead a healthy lifestyle.
02
Healthy fast food
Weight loss drive-thrus and athlete-focused pizzeria pop-ups are examples of how fast food brands are embracing wellness and providing healthier options to consumers.
03
Branded fitness partnerships
Sneaker brands and fast food chains are partnering to provide unique fitness experiences, featuring branded food and apparel for participating members.
Industry implications
What the Fitness Exchange trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Fitness
Fitness brands are innovating with new and indulgent offerings often not associated with physical activity to attract and retain customers looking for a moderate and balanced approach to wellness.
For
Food & Beverage
The fast-food industry is innovating with healthy options and unique promotions that appeal to health-conscious consumers looking for sustainable eating habits.
For
Apparel
Sneaker brands are partnering with fitness groups and providing branded apparel, creating unique fitness experiences and lifestyle offerings that blend fitness and fashion.
Workshop question
How might you tackle consumer hesitations around living a healthier lifestyle? How can you better balance their priorities?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Fitness Exchange
Trend score 4.6 out of 10, from popularity 68%, activity 61%, freshness 9%.
Popularity68%
Activity61%
Freshness9%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X (not a primary audience)
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Evidence
Examples of the Fitness Exchange trend
6 featured examples from May 27, 2017 to Apr 29, 2020CategoryLifestyle
Weight Loss Drive-Thrus
The Weight Watchers Drive-Thru Serves "Healthy & Happy Meals"
Fast food chains can explore the opportunity to incorporate healthier options and zero-point food concepts in their drive-thru menus to cater to health-conscious consumers.
CategoryLifestyle
Athlete-Focused Pizzeria Pop-Ups
New Balance Will Reward Runners Based on Mileage with Pizza
Sporting goods brands can explore athlete rewards programs to increase customer engagement and brand loyalty.
CategoryLifestyle
Sneaker Brand Pubs
'The Runaway' by New Balance Only Accepts Miles Run as Currency
The fitness industry can take inspiration from New Balance and create their own branded experiences which build loyalty and community
CategoryLifestyle
Fast Food-Branded Fitness Clubs
Shack Track & Field is a Workout Group Funded by Shake Shack
Fast food companies can leverage their brand recognition to reach new customers with health-focused initiatives.
CategoryLifestyle
Fitness-Focused Lifestyle Bowls
Chipotle Partnered with YouGov on Five New Lifestyle Bowls
Fast casual restaurants can leverage the trend of wellness-focused lifestyle bowls to attract health-conscious consumers and differentiate themselves in a competitive market.
CategoryMarketing
Baseball-Themed Taco Promotions
Taco Bell Announced Its Steal a Base, Steal a Taco Promotion
Leveraging partnerships and innovative promotions within the fast food industry to attract and retain customers.
