Activewear Champions & Challengers: The New Rules of Engagement - 'Rarity and Reward'
Our team has been taking an in-depth look at the Activewear sector and how brand communications and retail design are evolving to meet the needs of younger consumers. Here we consider Rarity and Reward – how can brands and retailers create a loyal following amongst the Gen Z crowd?
02 - RARITY & REWARD
Rarity and exclusivity have long been the hallmarks of sneaker culture, where there is a direct link between effort versus reward, and it seems this approach is becoming more mainstream, as both longstanding players and new challenger brands explore innovative ways of winning brand loyalty from the younger crowd.
The Power of Play
Many are re-imagining their loyalty schemes by shifting from monetary to experiential rewards for purchases made. A brilliant example is the adidas ‘Creators Club’ - a members-only loyalty club that rewards engagement and interaction with early access to products, exclusive deals and invitations to special events. Tapping into a key trend of gamification, it’s based on points and organised into 4 tiers.
Each level comes with its own set of benefits, encouraging users to rise through the ranks to unlock additional rewards.
This type of brand engagement raises hype and leaves consumers feeling rewarded for their efforts and we’re seeing a growing number of brands investing in a similar strategy.
One of our favourite examples is The Runaway Pub by New Balance in London which gifted runners with free beer depending on how much running mileage they built up!
We’ve also noted a growing number of unbranded spaces that are hidden in secret locations and carefully disguised to attract only the most loyal of fans. A great example of this tactic is the cult Boston-based store Bodega, which is hidden behind the fruit and vegetables of Downtown LA’s bustling produce markets.
Many brands are also experimenting with temporary ‘takeover’ initiatives and springing up in the most unlikely of places. We loved the approach that Adidas recently took to launch their new Glitch Prep Pack football boot range, turning a London takeaway into a Glitch pop-up. Creating new Glitch-themed branding for everything from the menus to the food boxes to the neon sign hanging outside.
In the digital world, a growing number of brands are creating this same sense of rarity and immediacy by using Snapchat; which champions instant and spontaneous content, with stories deleted after 24 hours.
We loved Nike’s recent campaign hosting a geo-smart online flash sale on Snapchat, and also their playful use of Apple’s AirDrop feature to gift lucky attendees at Coachella Valley Music Festival with their latest sneaker collaboration.
Why do we need to create a sense of rarity and reward?
When almost anything we desire is available on demand, it’s so interesting to see how a sense of rarity and reward can heighten anticipation for product launches and deepen consumer loyalty. At the heart of all of these initiatives is the idea of gamification and we think it’s become the ultimate way of transforming passive consumers into the most engaged and loyal fans.
Read more of our thoughts on this subject...
If you would like to talk further about anything discussed in this article, or receive a copy of our ‘Activewear Champions & Challengers’ trend report, please contact Mynt.