VAI Deep Dive: Fabletics

Fabletics, the women’s athleisure brand made famous by its famous co-founder Kate Hudson, has seen some changes over the last year. The brand started purely online, and continues to do most of its business through its website. However, the company is starting to roll out its new strategy, including brick-and-mortar stores, as well as some changes in the marketing department. 

Last October, the company brought in Kristen Dykstra as the new CMO, while Marissa Bell left her position of Marketing VP in March. Our report on CMO tenure suggests that Dykstra is squarely in the timeframe for reviewing agency relationships for the brand, and the brand is likely in planning for “new year, new you” campaigns.

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In partnerships, Fabletics recently launched on-demand exercise videos that are free for VIP members, and also announced a partnership with the United Nations Foundation that will “bear out in campaigns, events and capsule collections.” If you have a client whose products or services mesh with the Fabletics brand, it might be worth an email and phone call to find out if there are partnership opportunities you can exploit.

Speaking millennials’ language, Fabletics has been playing the social media game to get people talking about the brand. Some of the brand’s best-preforming advertisements were of Kate Hudson’s “behind the scenes” life, and one recent Fabletics ad was filmed on Hudson’s iPhone, and is meant to feel like part of her Snapchat or Instagram feed. In addition to all the changes in marketing leadership, and potentially to strategy, social media agencies and agencies that specialize in  should especially reach out to Fabletics soon to secure business for the future.

While the company continues to make virtually all its sales online, Fabletics recognized that some customers would rather make their purchases in-person and opened 14 brick-and-mortar stores in the last couple of years. With more stores on the way — Fabletics plans top put stores within a “convenient drive” of 80% of the US population — the company will look to use brand awareness to drive traffic to the store, and vice versa.

Fabletics says when customers have access to a store near them, they have double the lifetime value.  With this in mind, the company plans to open 75-100 stores in the next few years. There might be national and local campaigns in play to support store openings, so agencies get ready to reach out to Fabletics with ideas on how to promote the brick and mortar stores. Local media sellers should also jump on this opportunity.

Through leadership changes, new marketing strategies, and the push into in-store retail, Fabletics seems to be upping its game. The elements are coming together to create what seems like a perfect storm of change, so keep your eyes and ears open to stay in the loop, and reach out to make these potential opportunities a reality.

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