lululemon
Consumer Strategy
THE CHALLENGE
Discover if there is a link between gamers and the lululemon consumer
lululemon’s Futures Innovation team approached Twofivesix with a major undertaking—how might we create and strengthen enduring relationships with guests using behavioral design, motivation principles, and gamification? Specifically, are there elements of gaming that resonate with the lululemon consumer? Are there aspects of gaming that can be applied to well-being?
THE INSIGHT
While those who love to game and exercise do both, there’s little correlation between the types of exercise and the games they play
Through extensive quantitative, qualitative, and desktop research, we uncovered myriad insights around the lululemon cohort who consider themselves gamers. Those who are passionate about exercise also make time for gaming, but there’s no direct link between the types of games consumers play and the activities they love to do. People do a variety of activities to nurture different parts of well-being while pulling from common wellness themes.
THE RESULT
There’s no singular definition of “gamer,” and gaming personalities vary with mood, motivation, and inspiration
Our research debunked some key myths about what it means to be a “gamer;” namely, it can’t be defined by a single type of person and shouldn’t be viewed as a pejorative. Furthermore, while the lululemon gaming contingent is passionate about both exercise and playing video games, we can’t draw a clear link between fitness and gaming behaviors. What we did accomplish—gaming and well-being are copacetic, and those who game do so without sacrificing their commitment to exercise.
In our research, we spoke to five lululemon superfans, five subject matter experts in the field of video games and immersive technology, and conducted a quantitative survey with 480 participants.
Our lululemon superfans told us:
lululemon is a lifestyle, not a fitness brand. It’s a wellness brand that’s inclusive, high-quality, versatile, welcoming, conscientious, and stylish.
Well-being is about balance and variety. Both exercise and fitness contribute to well-being, albeit in different ways.
Accomplishment is personal, purposeful, and positive; it’s not about competition with others.
Nostalgia is an emotional anchor point for sports and gaming.
Routine and regiment are necessary and prioritized to make time for both fitness and gaming.
From our subject matter experts,
we learned:
Reward and feedback cues keep video game players going. Motivation and validation guide people toward their goals.
Agency matters—a sense of control makes players feel proud as they accomplish their journey.
Failure should be rewarding, too. Insurmountable challenges leave people feeling defeated and bored.
Next, we debunked some long-standing myths and prejudices around gaming.
Belief versus Reality:
Our original hypothesis posited that fitness behaviors mimic people’s favorite games. For example, someone who enjoys trail running would be drawn to the open-world features of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
But guess what? We were wrong.
People do a variety of activities to nurture different parts of well-being, while pulling from common wellness themes. Meaning—we can’t assume a 1:1 between fitness activities and the games people play.
Instead, we came up with gaming profile archetypes that hit on common motivations in fitness and well-being, based on the Quantric Foundry research model.
Work in collaboration with Twofivesix