In the new spot, the health and wellness retailer gives their sales associates a makeover by introducing them as ‘wellness coaches.’ The coaches are positioned to provide individualized product recommendations to fit various lifestyle needs.
Get your goal on
Joshua Schall of J. Schall Consulting told NutraIngredients-USA, “The newest ‘There for you’ is a big change from the ‘Programs that fit’ campaign of 2019 for GNC. They have moved past event-based selling and are now positioning themselves as a retailer that can add value to your healthy lifestyle...however personalized it is.”
One of the key messages in the commercial is, “Whatever you’re into, or wanna get into, we’ll help you get your goal on.”
Schall said he thinks GNC was successful in highlighting diverse lifestyles that aren’t centered around the traditional gym experience.
“GNC seems to be attempting to distance itself from the damaging consumer perception that they are mostly a place for male gym rats. They show it right at the beginning to say ‘we are still here for you’ but quickly pivot to the remaining commercial making consumers realize they are so much more today. This is a smart move by GNC because these male gym rats have been the first and most aggressive consumer category to shift to a self-directed purchase path with buying active nutrition products online at a retailer like Amazon.”
Schall predicts the storyline will continue, further driving home to consumers that GNC ‘coaches’ have a wealth of knowledge and the retailer is the authority on supplements and convenient active nutrition products, aimed to improve consumers at all stages of wellness.
Behind the scenes
As AdWeek pointed out, “GNC isn’t as physically fit as it once was, a new ad campaign might help restore some vitality.”
With many stores slated to close, GNC could use some vitality. The company announced in late 2018 it planned to close as many as 900 stores by the end of 2020 while still planning an overseas expansion and seeking to restructure its debt.
GNC recorded $690 quarterly revenue in mid 2016, but their most recent quarterly statement showed nearly $500 million in top line revenue. In the third quarter of 2019, GNC reported net loss of $2.4 million compared with net loss of $8.6 million in the prior year quarter.
Ken Martindale, GNC’s Chairman and CEO said, “While we did face headwinds in our international business, we remain excited about the long-term growth opportunities abroad.”
Influencers, the microbiome, protein, formulation challenges and opportunities, and female athletic consumers are just some of the topics that will take center stage at the NutraIngredients-USA Sports Nutrition Summit in San Diego, Feb 3-5, 2020.
For more information and to register, please click HERE.