How WHOOP is Shaking Up the Wearable Tech Market

Wearable technology is nothing new, but nobody does personalisation quite like WHOOP. Their unique wrist strap technology enables their members to optimise their sleep, monitor injuries and measure readiness to perform physical activity.

Winning in this crowded space is difficult. It’s no mean feat. But with an effective differentiation strategy, an empathetic approach to pandemic-related challenges and delivering functionality that outperforms solutions offered by competitors, WHOOP is carving out its own space in the market.

WHOOP’s ‘Know Yourself’ campaign is the creative lens through which the brand manages to land its differentiated proposition. The campaign’s tone strikes an empathetic chord, associating self-identification with knowing your body and self-love. As part of the campaign, an ICU doctor and WHOOP member uses his wrist strap to track his physiological response during his efforts to save people from COVID-19, using his findings to advise colleagues on how to minimise the strain they endure.

WHOOP position themselves as a bastion of support by majoring on Empathy - one of the 16 Drivers which together determine the strength of a brand's relationship with people. They do this through personalisation and through the development of technology which enhances people's daily lives.

 (Source: Vimeo)

Most fitness trackers offer basic step counting functionality and heart rate monitoring. WHOOP uses this campaign to provide a personalised, sophisticated picture of an individual’s unique physiological state to outline their personal readiness to perform each day. This does a brilliant job of demonstrating how effectively the brand delivers on its promise of keeping people fit and making them mindful of their body.

To reinforce the superiority of their technology, the campaign is endorsed by various elite athletes and coaches across a range of sports, from Olympians to basketball stars and surfers. If the technology is good enough for them, it must be good enough for you. 

WHOOP doesn’t sell products, it sells memberships. Whilst competitors like Fitbit also allow connections across different users, WHOOP leads with it as a key differentiator. Differentiation helps brands in crowded spaces stand out, making the purchase decision as simple as possible for people. The brand invites its members to join teams in-app, with friends, family, and like-minded fitness enthusiasts based on common activities and interests. The ‘Know Yourself’ campaign is also communicated through podcasts with well-known figures, and reinforces the sense of community, expertise and exclusivity that have made other fitness disruptor communities like Cross-Fit a resounding success.

WHOOP has navigated the choppy waters of COVID-19 by staying attuned to the changing needs of the category, responding empathetically and delivering a unique piece of technology that facilitates and improves people's approach to wellbeing and physical exercise.