Now, more than ever, wellness is a priority for consumers, but this has also led to a problem for health and wellness marketers of their own making. In a survey conducted by Ipsos, 62% of respondents said their health is more important to them now than it was pre COVID-19. This change in behavior isn’t limited to nutritional health but spans services and products that cater to physical, mental, and even environmental wellness. And, brands already are starting to tap this collective mindset, not necessarily for the consumer’s benefit, but for theirs, with the global wellness market expected to grow to $1.5 trillion. As marketers attempt to attract these wellness-minded consumers by boasting claims of “health” and “wellness,” they are also aiding in the demystification of what is truly considered “healthy.”
The market has become oversaturated with claims, leaving people skeptical of the truth and unclear about any real benefits to the claims. This widespread confusion has been captured in a survey from Attest, where they discovered that around half (46%) of shoppers said they worry that wellness products aren’t actually healthy. And, this uncertainty is only going to be perpetuated by the recent announcement from the FDA to allow brands to put a “healthy” claim on the front of their food labels if they meet certain (but also somewhat loose) dietary guidelines. But what is considered “healthy” these days? It’s a broad term that is subject to manipulation from companies as they learn to game the system for a badge.
We’ve been here before, when a marketing trend or buzzword sees its rise and ultimate demise as brands take over the term without regulation. It is what happened with “sustainability.” And just as sustainability has been met with “greenwashing,” we can expect more brands, products, and services to be vetted for “wellness washing.”
Following the impact of greenwashing, sustainability as a term is increasingly being replaced in marketing speak as brands are committed to acknowledging what kind of practices are in place to achieve better sustainability. The most prominent example of a brand doing this is Patagonia as they refuse to call themselves sustainable in recognizing that their environmental impact is far from it. So now we see brands using words such as regeneration, circular economy, traceability, etc. Sustainability is a goal, not a claim. We should look to treat wellness the same way. Saying something is “healthy” or offers wellness is about as vague as calling a food, grain, or fruit “super.” It sounds like a better choice, but there is no merit to the term on its own.
How to Avoid Wellness Washing
So, what can the healthcare marketers do to offset this uncertainty and skepticism?
1. Take stock of what a brand or product can claim. Marketing executives seldom consult their R&D and business affairs departments at the onset of a campaign. Understanding the intent behind a product or service will immediately reveal its true nature in being a wellness benefit to the consumer or simply a more cost-effective way to make said product.
2. Consider the benefit each wellness claim provides. With every functional benefit, there is a richer, emotional benefit a consumer can relate to. As health and wellness spans physical, mental, and environmental spaces so does the opportunity for a consumer to make a purchase with the intent to effect change on themselves or the collective.
3. If all else fails and a brand has nothing to claim, then they can communicate their plans to provide a wellness benefit in the future. Showing steps toward progress is going to be more impactful for consumers than an empty, wellness washed message.
Ultimately, marketers need to avoid the pitfalls of the buzzwords and focus on the underlying promise they make to their consumers. Don’t just say it’s wellness. It’s wellness how? If a brand doesn’t have a credible claim (or one that lacks regulation such as “all natural”), then don’t force one, or worse, make one up. If a brand does have a credible health or wellness benefit, then consider the value it can add versus shapeshifting the claim to fit a cultural narrative. At the end of the day, transparency and vulnerability is more likely to gain a consumer’s trust than posturing to be the best and the healthiest.
