For many years now, the health industry has been predominantly male-oriented. From whey protein shakes to the Atkins diet, health and wellness was more about a change in appearance rather than a change in how one feels. These diets and “healthy” products actually often contain terrible additives that are quite literally the opposite of clean. Not to mention the horribly designed product packaging and very masculine marketing. But now, over the past few years, there has been a beautiful evolution in the health and wellness industry.
First off we need to take a look at one of the most important parts of this evolution: aesthetics! I don’t know about you, but if I’m in the grocery store and see something with adorable packaging, there’s no stopping me. Specifically, if the packaging entails the color pink with a cute font and pretty bottle, I will be a proud consumer of that product. Brands like Alani Nu, Bloom, and HUM certainly do this trick. Don’t even get me started on Alani Nu’s Kimade, because even though I didn’t need all of that caffeine, the fact that the cans were pink and shimmery was an instant selling point for me. Adding these feminine aspects to energy drinks that once were only available in masculine forms, like Monster and Redbull, makes it so much more likely to expand consumer horizons. A+ marketing really makes all the difference, and I strongly believe that the consideration of aesthetics in the health and wellness industry greatly contributed to the exponential growth of the industry.
Better marketing strategies by these female entrepreneurs who are so passionate about bettering their bodies perfectly aligns with the introduction of the influencer era. Influencers promoting these seemingly perfect products that are cute, affordable, and nutritious significantly helps the growth of health and wellness brands. Especially by targeting a young adult/college audience through brand ambassador programs, it is more likely for people to buy these products. It’s kind of like when your friend buys a really cute top and persuades you to get it, too. The more you see your peers buying certain products and vouching for its functionality, the more likely you are to also buy and test it out. Mainly between Tiktok and Instagram, these brands can quickly market and gain traction on their products not only with their own trendy marketing tactics, but also the creativity of influencers.
As time passes, society is becoming geared toward more holistic alternatives to health products. Brands like HUM, Lemme, and Goli are just a few that I can think of that have contributed to this switch. By knowing the simple ingredients, effective results, and positive addition to your daily routine, people are more inclined to buy these vitamins. The rise of these holistic and natural products allowed me to say goodbye to the days of Flintstone vitamins (always #1 in my heart). Not only does this apply to vitamins, but also a range of other products from dairy alternatives to sodas. Swoon and Poppi are two amazing female-owned soda alternative brands that perfectly capture the evolution of the health and wellness industry by combining society’s love for sugary drinks with healthy alternatives that still have the same effect (while also being aesthetically pleasing!).
This new wave of young female entrepreneurship is only going to continue to boost the growth of the health and wellness industry for many years to come. These creative brands promote key values that align with what other young women want to see like aesthetics, quality products, self care, and just simply feeling your best! Just looking at women like Allison Elsworth (creator of Poppi Soda), Mari Llewellyn (creator of Bloom greens), Ashley Thompson (creator of MUSH vegan oats), and Amelia Kirchoff (creator of GoMacro bars) is so empowering for other women entrepreneurs who desire to promote well-being while also actually enjoying the products. Saying bye to the days of chalky protein bars and low calorie frozen meals is so easy when you have these amazing, actually healthy, and delicious alternatives to choose from!