Marketing Strategy, User Research
Conducted market/user research to help our client better understand – from a Consumer Behavior perspective – how consumers are feeling, behaving and making choices about health and nutrition in the broader context of their lives – and what implications that might have for GU. Our group focused on the role of Community.
Role: Marketer, User Researcher
Timeline: Nov 2023 - Dec 2023
GU Energy
Our Hypothesis
Weekend warriors who participate in individual sports or activities will be more influenced by digital media communities,
while people who participate in group/team activities will be more influenced by face-to-face communities.
Our 9 Interviewees
Key Learning 1
Fitness Communities are a gateway for self expression
Unlike professional athletes, Weekend Warriors are starting to construct their own values regarding fitness.
Since they are focused more on “how they feel” over performance, the positive affirmations they receive from the community play a key role in developing their self-image.
Thus, they seek out communities that provide a safe space for shameless self-exploration and try to embody those values.
Key Learning 2
People have a pride to share, and a pride to gatekeep their communities
As Weekend Warriors continue their exploration, they take note of which communities feel welcoming and which ones don’t. The culture within these communities can either pull them in, or push them away.
But once they’re in, they feel a sense of pride in being a part of a community that others might not understand – pride that isn’t necessarily driven by the activity or routine at face value.
Key Learning 3
The role of community takes a back seat in influencing nutrition-based decision making.
We learned from KL 1 and KL 2 that communities have a strong influence on the Weekend Warrior’s self-empowerment, attitudes to share information, and knowledge of activity. However, when it comes to nutrition, there is an obvious disconnect.
Nutritional decisions are driven by the Weekend Warrior’s individual nutritional agency, which is built over time.
Thus, newcomers adhere more strictly to recommendations made by experts in their community, whereas experienced Warriors – who have gained more agency – de-prioritize community recommendations and cherry-pick information from external experts and empirical sources.
