Tuned: Banting, superfoods and meditation — fads or growing trends?

by Thabang Leshilo (@Thabang_Leshilo) We can’t deny it; South Africans are a nation of foodies and lovers of all things tasty, sometimes to the detriment of our health, if obesity, diabetes and cholesterol statistics don’t lie. However, health-consciousness, that which used to be the pursuit of fanatics and more affluent consumers, has of late become mainstream.

Source: realmealrevolution.com.

Achieving and maintaining a holistic approach to health and wellness has become a popular topic of conversation in the media, among friends and in the workplace; in Sandton, Sandringham and Soweto. The recent decline in worldwide sales of fast food giant, McDonald’s, is a sure sign that this shift cannot be ignored.

Health is the new cool…

And it is younger consumers who are driving the trend, as USA Today reporter, Bruce Horowitz, discovered in January 2015 when he wrote up the results of a 30 000-strong consumer survey. This revealed that young consumers from more than 60 nations were far more concerned about their food and its ingredients, from genetically modified food to organic foods, than previous generations were.

The natural athlete is beginning to trump the professional athlete with social-media personalities such as the founder of HBfit.com (@HannahBronfman) and Sjana Elise Earp, a blogger who combines lifestyle, travel, health and wellness for “smyle” (secrets to make your life exceptional) leading the pack.

More and more people I know are seeking out physical and spiritual healing so as not to experience the burnout of modern life. My daily social-media newsfeeds are filled with posts that begin with 6am morning workouts at specialty gyms such as Urban Warrior Boxing, cycling and running events, juicing and meditation. A friend’s Nutribullet is even coveted by all in our ‘inner circle’.

But we youngsters don’t do it all to impress anyone else; we do it because we value our health. It just so happens that many young entrepreneurs are making health look cool, but that’s a good thing right?

… that is being embraced by more than the young

This holistic approach to life is increasingly being adopted by people from all walks of life and income levels. It sees them becoming more aware of their diets, reducing large portions which are synonymous with traditional staples and fast foods, and adding more fruits and vegetables to their plates.

It is important to note that not everyone is at the same point along the health journey. Furthermore, there are a number of different mind-sets and attitudes when it comes to the world of health, from the emerging ‘superfood pioneers’ and ‘natural athletes’ to the ‘fun fitness bunch’; each group has different aspirations and should all be spoken to a different way.

Brands living the healthy way

Several years ago, Discovery revolutionised the health insurance industry when it developed an integrated approach to health management that set many on the path to a healthy lifestyle. More recently, we have seen brands such as Woolworths tapping into the Banting micro-trend, and Nike which ignited a culture of running among the youth and is expanding its reach with the launch of the first female store in Sandton.

Young health entrepreneurs such as Life Train will also continue to grow the industry, and shape the market and the habits of mainstream consumers in the long run.

In order to meet the health needs of consumers within this ever changing landscape, marketers should:

Acknowledge what effect the health shift is having on their categories; don’t work against it.
Understand the different mind-sets that exist and look for the greatest pockets of opportunities within those segments for their brands.
Inspire and educate consumers on how to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Identify emerging trends and how their brands could leverage off those to stay relevant.

Thabang Leshilo (@Thabang_Leshilo) is a project manager at strategic marketing consultancy Added Value. As a ‘next-generation’ marketer with fresh and curious eyes looking into the industry, she has a keen interest for brands that are culturally in tune with and able to integrate and immerse themselves into the everyday realities of the consumer. She contributes the monthly “Tuned” column, sharing marketing insight and analysis, to MarkLives.

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