CrossFit: the FitGen Tribe
- Alye
- Oct 25, 2017
- 3 min read
“CrossFit was the first of four strategic partnerships Reebok would go on to make with athletic brands aligned with the FitGen—a segment, or “tribe,” defined by Reebok as, “a generation hungry to get back to the basics.” Following CrossFit with obstacle-course race series Spartan Race and group fitness studio Les Mills in 2013, then mixed martial arts promotion company UFC the following year, Reebok rounded out its “tough fitness” category.” (Markelz, 2017) They debuted their updated brand during the Super Bowl 2015 Commercials, known as their ‘Be More Human’ campaign.
Fitness and training are emotions that have been difficult to capture. Brands that have been successful in the fitness industry have been able to capture these emotions throughout their campaigns. Millennial marketing requires intensity, custom human experiences, and the ability to intermingle life experiences with fashion. Reebok used CrossFit to focus on the idea that life, in general, is a fitness sport. They are trying to convey the message that life is a sport and as a brand; they are enabling you to deliver the most excellent and equipped you. “Reebok’s CrossFit-branded products are a manifestation of the community. Whether it be Kevlar-infused shorts to protect against barbell abrasion or the ever-evolving CrossFit Nano—a shoe designed for diverse workouts allowing athletes to run, jump, weightlift and rope climb in the same pair of shoes—every product takes a consumer-focused approach.” (Markelz, 2017)
Glassman focused on what was important for him to control and let others deal with the rest (including Reebok). CrossFit’s community and program focuses on homegrown PR efforts. Each box owner is rewarded for their ability to grow their own business on social media. “CrossFitters—whose first rule, it is often said, is never to stop talking about CrossFit—are eager to post their accomplishments on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.” (Maneker, 2015)
One of the best ways for Reebok and CrossFit to highlight their brand is through their annual CrossFit Open and Games. It is televised on ESPN and produces almost zero money. This past year, nearly 380,000 people started this competition during the CrossFit Open (growing from 209,000 people the year before). The CrossFit Open ends with the top athletes competing in a multi-day event to win the award for the strongest man/woman in the world along with Reebok/Crossfit giving out nearly $2M in prize money. The Games attract viewers, sponsorships, and generates a large amount of brand equity for the companies. “Since Reebok became the exclusive licensee of CrossFit’s trademark and the title sponsor of the CrossFit Games, Reebok’s training category has nearly doubled, composing nearly 34% of the brand’s net sales. Q4 of 2015 marked the 11th consecutive quarter of growth for the brand overall and the third consecutive year of double-digit growth for its training category, of which CrossFit is a big driver.” (Wang, 2016)
Alongside the CrossFit games, they maintain “a sophisticated video production operation in the Santa Cruz headquarters that exploits the power of social media and regularly pumps out a broad range of videos. Some are multi-part documentaries dramatizing the Games and the story behind each event. Others provide personal vignettes of CrossFit athletes that would make American TV sports legend Roone Arledge proud. Some of these videos simply document the proper technique for an exercise or Open event. Taken together, the video operation has created a pantheon of characters who epitomize CrossFit’s stated values of humility, self-challenge, and communal support.” (Maneker, 2015)
Overall, CrossFit has grown within the marketplace and enabled Reebok to become relevant in the Fit Generation. “CrossFit’s strange fitness subculture offers an intense promise to new converts. Its growth tracks the growth of social media and mobile technology, making CrossFit’s business both a platform for other entrepreneurs and a dynamic, lucrative ecosystem as a whole.” (Maneker, 2015)