#LinkedInSports Day 1️⃣7️⃣: Who is the most innovative athlete or brand in sports and why?
One of my favorite sports apparel brands is Lululemon. And I'll give you several reasons why.
1// Unique Marketing.
Before doing anything, they listened. They figured out what values their target customer lived by and then created a product around it. But just because they had a great product, that did not guarantee success. They had to get innovative. So they built an entire lifestyle around the brand. They've done campaigns highlighting mental health & wellness all the way to partnerships with NBA players.
2// Community Based Approach.
Instead of trying to build through big name endorsements (MJ for Nike or Steph for Under Armour), Lululemon has really embraced the grassroots community. Organic user generated content is a byproduct of their ambassador program and athlete partnerships. It doesn't matter if you are a casual gym-goer, an elite yoga instructor or a pro athlete. If you're striving to become the best version of yourself, and you want others to hold you accountable, it's for you.
3// Product Quality.
I don't know any other apparel brand that is even close to the quality here. I wish I knew the exact amount of times I wore some of the shirts I own. But if I had to guess, it's several thousand. And even after the full workouts and washing, it still looks and feels like day 1.
4// Membership Creation
Like most retail companies, they realized if they didn't create some sort of subscription offering, they were going to get left behind! So they did. And it's unique. They offer a combination of transactional benefits (free shipping, product discounts) and experiential benefits (workout classes, in store events).
Fun fact - when I was first starting out in the sports agency world, I was working for free, so I had to find other ways to pay the bills. One of those ways was working part time at the Lululemon Store in Santa Monica, California. One of the shifts I covered was the overnight inventory shift. I might have to do a podcast episode about this chapter of life...
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