Health and Wellness Marketing Trends Part 2 with Heidi Moon of the Global Wellness Institute
March 01, 2024
The dynamic world of wellness leaves opportunity for an array of brands to create their own authentic wellness strategy. Discover which markets are anticipated to grow and how your brand can most effectively make decisions to tap into up-and-coming wellness markets in Part 2 of our podcast with Communications Strategist Heidi Moon of the Global Wellness Summit.
[00:00:00] Rochelle Reiter: This is The 19, a 19 minute or less podcast that brings you marketing insights aimed at improving lives. Presented by Orange Label, the leading response marketing agency for wellness brands that grow when their customers do.
[00:00:15] Rochelle Reiter: In part two of our podcast with communication strategist Heidi Moon of the Global Wellness Summit and Global Wellness Institute, we’re tackling major questions in the wellness marketing space from what’s gone right in the past to what the future of wellness holds. Let’s dive in.
[00:00:35] Rochelle Reiter: so we’ve talked about some varied demographics, who do you believe the primary target demographic is for wellness brands today? So we have the hardcare, softcare. You said they’re kind of divergent based on income. Who is that? Who’s the wellness consumer?
[00:00:57] Heidi Moon: It’s everyone, and I think that is one of the biggest challenges for wellness brands today because certainly there are some, you big health club chain that may target people very widely, but I think there are very different and specific markets, emerging and certainly the older, 50 plus population is a huge market. And, and this is something that we have not figured out how to serve 70 year olds, the 80 year olds, the 90 year olds that are very vibrant and still having money, and still spending money. That is something that we still as a wellness industry have to figure out. Another thing that is emerging is the youth market. You know, for ages, this has been like, must be 16 to come to the spa, or must be 18 to work out here without a parent. and I think that that whole segment is, is going to evolve in a incredible way in the next, five to ten years. So I think, answer is who’s the primary target audience? I would say money wise, longevity services. Is where the investment money is going. Like there’s been enormous investment in United States and all over the world in longevity clinics. Like a doubling from 2021 to 2022 according to, I think it’s Longevity Tech Magazine. And it is, definitely a demographic to pay attention to. So it’s no accident that Lifetime is launching MIORA and other people are, launching, you know, longevity clinics all over. So I think if you’re following the money, that’s a good one to watch. And I think, FemTech revolution the feminist revolution and wellness, I have so much purchasing power in this area, and that’s another one to watch again from a monetary standpoint. I think from a societal standpoint, looking at, youth market is, very, interesting and emerging opportunity as well.
[00:03:05] Rochelle Reiter: Yeah. So when you talk about youth, so you’re saying under 18?
[00:03:09] Heidi Moon: Yes.
[00:03:10] Rochelle Reiter: Under 18. Okay. Okay.
[00:03:12] Heidi Moon: We, I think we have been, treating a lot of stuff for our youth recently. Right? ADHD and, and, behavioral issues and mental wellness, mental health issues, obesity. We’re treating a lot of stuff. So where’s the prevention for youth? I.
[00:03:31] Rochelle Reiter: Right.
[00:03:32] Heidi Moon: And so I…
[00:03:33] Rochelle Reiter: a good point.
[00:03:34] Heidi Moon: That that is something that we we’ll be watching in the, coming years.
[00:03:39] Rochelle Reiter: I think, so there’s the two, the dual demographic there. There’s the, people, the, the youth, and then there’s their parents. Right? So it really is, it really is everyone. It really is everyone. So, with the rise of digital platforms. How can brands effectively use social media and online community specifically to promote wellness, focused products and services?
[00:04:02] Heidi Moon: Well, I think social media is a great way to build community, first of all. So I think it’s hard to talk in general because there’s so many, that’s why I love marketing for niche things. I think any marketer does.
[00:04:17] Rochelle Reiter: Right.
[00:04:18] Heidi Moon: Because social media is a dream for niche marketing, right? You can say like, oh, you like to fish on Fridays, you in Norway. Like, we can build a community for that. You know, I think Facebook had, Facebook groups had an ad once that was kind of. funny like that for like whatever random interest you might have, but I think the more that you can, create some kind of community, even if you have a very wide, spread, brand using social media, I, you know, I’m a lifetime member. I know our club does local things and local hashtags and it just connects a handful of us and makes us, you know, feel good. In this tiny group, in this big, huge gym. I think it’s possible, know, around events that you might have or wellness programs. That’s another great way that people are continuing. You know, I think one thing that we haven’t talked about yet, but I think it, people are looking, no longer to go for retreats and go be fixed and then come back. They want that continuity. So in wellness whether that’s at your gym or at your local bar studio or at a spa that you go to, I think you can use social media to continue that group dynamic that they may have experienced abroad. And I think another way that social media obviously is hugely helpful is that’s a platform where you can create content marketing, right? We talked about authenticity and trust and how important that is. Social media is is your platform to create that trust and that authentic connection. And it’s that top of the funnel, right? Where you say like, oh yeah, well they told me that. Oh, I tried that and you know, I did that free thing or I found that content interesting. And that’s how you can kind of wind them down to make a purchase decision at some point. But, you know, recipes, how to guides, you know, workout routines. see people using that so widely. So the real, real question is, I think, not how you can use those social media platforms, but how can you be noticed anymore a social media platform because…
[00:06:26] Rochelle Reiter: How can you stand out?
[00:06:28] Heidi Moon: Can you stand out? You know? And that’s a, know, people talk a lot about partnering with influencers on social media, and certainly I think that can help. I do find, you know, the most authentic brands that I see or work with, like this, group Sanctum out of Amsterdam. It’s a. fitness class that they do around the world in different places, and they have such a strong social media presence, not buying a single ad, not, using any influencers. think you can really tell those authentic brand, you know, communities. And I think for most brands having that authentic, real social media following that’s truly engaged, that knows your brand, that wants to stay connected with your brand. Like that’s way more valuable. And then I, you know, I, I think social media is a great place too, to have that two way conversation. With as much as you can. I mean, that, that is, another opportunity. And, you know, it’s, it’s a great marketing channel. I think, you know, I, I love how you can track it. I love how you can, a marketer standpoint and great way to develop a community, offer something exclusive to them. You know, kinda keep that value loop going back and forth with, with your, organization. So I think social media marketing is huge and only growing. It changes all the time. So I’m a fan of using a digital marketing agency that knows what all the changes are so I can strategize and not have to keep up with all that because it’s very, hard. But I think that that is your best channel. You know, certain demographics, email still works, but again, we talked about the youth, we talked about, you know, things changing. think social media is something everyone needs to keep paying attention to.
[00:08:21] Rochelle Reiter: For sure. So what are your predictions for the future? So we talked about 2024 and kind of the evolution in 2023. What about 2025 and beyond? What do you think? Where’s it going? And how can brands prepare for this change in transformation?
[00:08:40] Heidi Moon: Gosh. Well, I think longevity, that whole thing is here to stay. I have talked a little bit about, you know, youth. I, I do think that we are gonna see a strong cry for prevention, services with youth. And because, you know of, that, I think the area not, and not just because of both the cry for help in the youth market and this aging demographic that is just stressing all of our social systems, changing all of the economics of both industry and government policy. I, I think that we’re gonna see,
[00:09:19] Heidi Moon: a wave of wellness diplomacy
[00:09:22] Rochelle Reiter: Mm.
[00:09:23] Heidi Moon: wellness policy. And we need to, I think as we can feel it in particular here in the US but in other parts of the world too. I think we’re gonna see this, policy changes as such that the medical prevention, wellness,areas are not no longer siloed. mean, we see some bridges here and there. But I think we need the changes to be upstream, to have impact. Like for example, lots of, healthcare policies in the US to cover expensive drugs for migraine treatment, but they do not cover, nutrition services or acupuncture, they will keep giving you drugs for something. So tho those basic things, I think we’ll see. upstream influences change. think the, other thing that we’ll see, you know, and globally on the youth, you know, we, we had an interesting speaker last year, Sophie Howe. She was a first commissioner for Future Generations in the small country of Wales, in the UK. And I think we’ll see the wellness industry really partner more deeply with the, climate, change mitigation effort. You know, we talked about, climate adaptive wellness trend and how that’s affecting architecture and design and tourism and all that, but I think we’ll see even tighter. integration with that. And then we’ll continue to see, AI and technology really be embraced by the wellness industry. think for a while wellness was like, put down, leave your cell phones at the door and no technology. You know, I think, I think we’re over that. I, you know, and if you wanna play in li longevity game, you are high tech, AI enabled diagnostics. But also one of our trends was this immersive art for wellness and this multis, sensorial art displays like everyone in the States anyone knew about that monet display and all the Instagram moments and what have you. But the writer of this trend, RA Peralta and neuroscience, Harvard trained neuroscientist. You know, it goes way deeper. So when we really employ AI and multis, sensorial approaches to wellness, that is, gonna be really impact how spaces look from your hotel lobby to your spa destination, to your gym. You think we’ll see a huge, evolution in that. And I think technology and AI in all areas. You know, one of our other trends home is the highest tech health hub that’s really at as infancy. You know, wellness real estate is one of the biggest growing markets. I mean, it’s, it’s a huge, segment of the wellness industry and we are gonna see that the integration of AI and wearables and, you know, in home environments from the air, you know, humidity in the air to the, the, the lighting to the vibration, your home, what we’re gonna see, all kinds of things, all kinds of interventions and wellness, support coming from the influence of technology.
[00:12:45] Rochelle Reiter: Yeah, so fascinating that everything’s all the coming together and that people are embracing wellness. So if, you were to leave our listeners with one piece of advice about marketing and wellness what would it be?
[00:13:01] Heidi Moon: I think I would have to go back with, be authentic. This is gonna be three pieces of advice. I would say…
[00:13:08] Rochelle Reiter: Okay.
[00:13:08] Heidi Moon: Know who you are and what is at the core of your unique proposition to the market. So know that. Deliver authentic services and tell your story with human first person accounts of how your services impacted others.
[00:13:31] Rochelle Reiter: I love it. I love it. Heidi, thank you so much for being on our show.
[00:13:35] Heidi Moon: My pleasure! Thanks so much for having me!
[00:13:37] Rochelle Reiter: It was so wonderful and have a great day. Looking forward to more insights from you. and yeah, again, thank you so much.
[00:13:46] Heidi Moon: Well thanks. I enjoyed it. Take care.
[00:13:52] Rochelle Reiter:Thank you for listening to The 19 with Heidi Moon. To learn more about the Global Wellness Summit and their annual trends report, visit GlobalWellnessSummit. com. To learn more about Orange Label’s strategy, data analytics, media, social, content, and design services, visit OrangeLabelMarketing.com.
[00:14:10] Rochelle Reiter: A special thank you goes out to our contributors, Creative Services Director, Kelsey Phillips, Copy and Content Strategist, Ashley Andreen and Design and Sound Director, Micah Panzich. Be sure to subscribe to The 19 Marketing Podcast by Orange Label on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast and Spotify, and leave us a review!