Breaking stereotypes in sports nutrition
|There is a mentality gap between the sexes, where women often believe their workouts are not of the intensity that warrants sports nutrition support, said Brett Hamer, product director of the nutrition division at THG, at audience at the recent Barentz Health and Wellness Seminar on Women’s Health in Gstaad, Switzerland.
Myprotein actively works to educate individuals about the valuable benefits of protein and supplements, he explained.
Broaden perceptions
Protein powder has always been viewed and marketed as a product aimed at men looking to build muscle. However, in essence, protein is not a gendered product, Hamer emphasized, which is why breaking gender stereotypes in sports nutrition is one of the brand’s main priorities.
Creatine, another product traditionally aimed at mainstream sports nutrition consumers, is undergoing a perception shift, he added. While the advantages it offers in terms of size and strength are well known, concerns about water retention have limited its appeal among women.
Hamer predicts that as the positive effects and lack of side effects become better known, creatine’s appeal will broaden across all demographics. New supplement formats also present an opportunity to increase consumer access, he explained, noting that gummies now offer an alternative to traditional VMS formats.
“There are differences in effectiveness, and they are not there to completely replace other formats, but they offer the possibility of creating a more pleasant and taste-focused moment of consumption in a traditionally very dry space,” a- he explained.
Appeal to aspirations
THG is now focused on educating consumers about the benefits of sports nutrition, creating aspirational stories and promoting a mindset-based approach rather than a gender-based approach, he explained.
As a brand with a large portfolio, Hamer said it is not possible to promote all products and therefore THG prioritizes sharing its philosophy.
While there is a well-known, perhaps stereotypical, perception that men support new hobbies through immediate purchase of products (the “all gear and no idea” phenomenon), women’s preferences in branding and their purchasing decisions tend to be shaped by a broader lifestyle. appeal approach, Hamer explained.
“When it comes to habits, we are seeing a greater percentage of women entering the market in categories such as clothing than men, perhaps due to the rise of athleisure in the women’s market” , did he declare.
Myprotein has now partnered with social media fitness influencer Savannah Sachdev, who is currently on day 975 of her ‘run every day’ streak. She has used her platform to share content about sustainable fitness routines among lifestyle and eating disorder recovery content.
The brand also recently announced its official sponsorship of the competitive fitness race “Hyrox”, which has hosted over 40 global races with 90,000 participating athletes (38% female) in 2023.
Rebranding for Accessibility
Myprotein recently undertook a rebranding to unify the product catalog, create a lifestyle brand and make health and fitness accessible to everyone.
“The rebranding aims to create a platform for us to become the most empowering health movement in the world and champion all people with healthy intent,” Hamer explained.
“The core range aims to become more accessible and easier to understand. We will therefore continue to create more targeted ranges to ensure products are clearly communicated to different consumers, while continuing to support the overall brand message. »