Weight Loss Companies Reach Customers in New Ways
While most weight loss companies focus more on traditional advertisements for their programs, Jenny Craig is changing their approach to more non-traditional ways. They are testing a new way of reaching customers by going to malls in New Jersey and California and placing special mirrors within them. These mirrors show people what they would look like if they were 10 to 15 pounds lighter. By actually seeing the results of what a weight loss program would help them look like, I feel like people will get a little more incentive to join the club. Jenny Craig is holding sampling events as well so that people can actually taste the food and disprove the idea that diet club food tastes horrible. Since many people believe they won't like the food they allow you to eat in these programs, having them to find out for themselves is definitely a good way to convince them that they will want to eat the food, and can succeed in this diet. Although other weight loss companies aren't exactly using these non-traditional ways to advertise, they are changing their ads on tv and print to be more focused on getting people to look online. This way people who may be interested in these programs can more easily get more information about them, and therefore be more likely to subscribe to their services. I believe all of these new approaches being taken by weight loss companies will definitely help to increase the number of customers.
I read about this in an article from adage.com. This is the link.. http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=125098&search_phrase=Big+Players+in+Diet+Industry+Shift+Focus+to+Online+Presences
posted by Danielle @ 2:51 PM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
I think what Jenny Craig is doing is a great idea. It is hard for people to get motivated, so to show them actual results is going to push more people to take action. Its almost like giving the consumer a glimpse of hope or a glimpse into the future. I find it interesting that they chose two very different locations like NJ and CA to do their testing. I guess it will give them a good overall feel to what types of people this new form motivation will work for.
I think this is an interesting new concept for Jenny Craig to be trying, but I don't feel like they will have much luck with this sort of advertising. I think that having the food out for people to try will be a positive step for them in getting people to overcome the idea of terrible tasting diet food, as long as the food stands up to the challenge that is. However, I think that their trial markets will show that people are not very interested in discussing their weight or standing in front of skinny mirrors in public, let alone a crowded mall. I think that weight is a very private and personal subject that people would not like to discuss openly. No one wants to be reminded of how they could look if they were 10 - 15 pounds lighter and they especially would not appreciate being called out on it in the middle of a mall.
However, I could be completely wrong and Jenny Craig could be using the mall setting to reach their market when they are at their most vulnerable and motivated. I could see how the stand and the diet program could be very appealing to someone who just walked out of a store and realized that they went up a size or two. Besides the beach, if there is any place that they could go in order to find people when they are the most motivated to lose weight it would be the mall.
I agree with both of you in regards to this weight loss method by Jenny Craig. Geoff, that is true about the advertising strategy being a little pushy. I know I wouldn't want to stand in front of a mirror in the middle of a mall embarrassing myself in front of hundreds of strangers. However, I feel as though it's a kind of negative reinforcement so maybe that's what they're going with. And I'm sure they must feel pretty good about the taste of their food because if they're willing to allow people to try it before they buy it, they'd better have a really strong product to back that up.
I'd like to see how this strategy works for them in CA and NJ to see if they move these "skinny mirrors" to other states. If they do, then we'll know they've done something right.
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