This week in the Brandwave UK Office, we have been taking a keen interest in the adidas ALL DAY mobile app. Released in the US a short while ago, it seeks to combat the use of multiple apps for different health and fitness needs and interests. The app aims to be a one-stop shop for our health, wellness and fitness needs.
What really sparked our interest is the extensive online conversation about the app and it is the perfect example of ‘utility marketing’. Whilst still in its infancy, utility marketing is fast becoming something brands are seeking from a channel-agnostic online strategy. It is the creation of useful, relevant tools that meet the needs of consumers. This is ultimately a way to sell the brand as a way of life, rather than just its products.
Defined as ‘the process of communicating value or usefulness of a product to a consumer’ you can see why brands are heading down this route. For a long time, ‘benefit led’ has been something brands are trying to communicate through their marketing, but utility marketing goes beyond this.
The adidas ALL DAY app is a great example of this. While it takes inspiration from sport, it also focuses on movement, nutrition, mindset and rest. So, if a user isn’t solely interested in one area, they’ll still be able to gain value from the other available topics. Therefore, cementing themselves as being constantly useful for everything a consumer is considering or wanting and becoming an essential part of users lives.
There are a number of health and fitness wearables and apps out there, but what utility marketing provides is content beyond one specific need. So, you might be tracking your heart rate and daily calorie intake, but what about how you’re stretching for that run or prepping breakfast to make sure you have enough energy for tomorrow’s exercise class? The adidas ALL DAY app provides content you can use all day, not only when you’re being active.
The app taps nicely into the ever-growing trend of being healthy in all aspects of life. It showcases the type of content that drives real brand affinity. By honing in on the ‘customer first’ approach, adidas are providing opportunities for customers to connect with the brand in a new way.
While the has been lots of talk about the adidas app being a great example of utility marketing, there isn’t a great deal to compare it to from other brands. This is likely to be because brands have been focusing on marrying their data with content in order to create and deliver the right content, to the right audiences at the right times. Arguably that is also an example of utility marketing, its just not wrapped up in an app accessible directly from the brand itself. Watch this space, we’re sure there is a lot more to come from other brands.
