Organic grocers, vitamin shops, big box athletic supply warehouses, gyms for every conceivable demographic and car dealerships…. Which one of these is not like the other? Well, that answer is becoming increasingly fuzzier as a growing phenomenon, “the consumerization of HEALTH”, gathers strength and influence in our worldwide marketplace.
A recent article identified this trend as the inclination of “consumers [to]choose products with embedded health benefits that are actually well designed, desirable, accessible, fun, tasty, interesting or storied.” Umm, isn’t that the very definition of the products that our fresh produce industry provides on a global scale and daily basis?
Smart marketers have caught on and bought into this trend and now everything from SUV’s to video game consoles are screaming, “We’ll make you healthy! Buy me! Buy me!” Much like many F&B products are “borrowing” the FRESH label, even these products outside the edible are capitalizing on the benefits of painting themselves healthy. Many of us have had a Wii workout (a quick living room tennis match anyone?) and this sales vid on the Honda Element website indicates that, with the purchase of an Element, you’ll be outfitted and ready for surfing, scuba, baseball, camping and anything else outdoorsy and HEALTHY! (side note: I also love that they offer a “Dog Friendly Accessories Package”, too.)
But, our industry should receive the grand champion trophy as the ideal supplier of healthy products since we perfectly exhibit every characteristic that, according to the trend, consumers are clamoring for. And, as the swell of interest in any and all things HEALTHY grows, our companies and products are in the best position to take advantage. Healthy and nutritious are not, by a long shot, the ONLY benefits that fresh fruits and veggies contain. But, with consumers placing a greater emphasis on those qualities, maybe we should pull a “Honda” and determine creative ways for those qualities to take center stage in our marketing efforts.
So What?: If a Honda Element can elevate consumers to the pinnacle of health and recreation, so too can radishes and raspberries. Speak the language of this growing group of health nuts. You’ve got the built-in stories to encourage consumption of your products, so tell them – creatively, frequently and in all ways!
Posted by The Health Nut (Brock Nemecek)
