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Gym jeans, really?
A chat with Sai Sangeeta Israni - GM Marketing, Spykar Lifestyles - about this unusual product.
Although those chic 'celebrity workout styles' that pop up on your Instagram feed make you want to hit the gym and sweat it out in style, when it comes to gym outfits, denims would, in all probability, be the very last thing that comes to mind.
GYMJNS campaign image
Home-grown denim brand Spykar launched its first ever TVC and while that may be relevant, it's the product that was introduced that really piqued our curiosity. Spykar announced a new category of denims called GYMJNS. We can't help but wonder why on earth consumers would ditch regular gym-wear in lieu of "gym denims".
According to 2018's survey, the youth-driven denim market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 14.5 per cent and reach Rs 39,651 crore by 2021 and Rs 77,999 crore by 2026. We spoke with Sai Sangeeta Israni, GM Marketing, Spykar Lifestyles, to understand the new product line better.
Sai Sangeeta Israni
"It's an ode to the swift and seamless life that today's youth live. A quick workout in a lunch break or running for a coffee date straight after the gym are things that today's generation are all about. The sporty styling allows youth to seamlessly shift across activities without the trouble of changing the look," Israni outlines.
The new product line, with its 4-Way dynamic stretch and ergonomic construction, claims to deliver complete, functional gym use.
The 18-35 age bracket, from college students to professionals or entrepreneurs and the "outrageously fashionable fitness enthusiasts" are the ones who form the brand's TG demographic, shares Israni.
She adds, "We plan to focus on products that can be a part of a youth's lifestyle, leveraging our fashion edge to deliver beyond the basics."
When asked who the brand considers its major rivals in this particular segment, she plays it safe saying, "GYMJNS is an unrivalled and unparalleled product category right now, offering the functionality of gym apparel with smart, denimised, sporty styling."
Being a youth fashion brand, as a thumb-rule, Spykar takes its digital campaigns quite seriously. However, for the recent campaign, the brand has tried to break free from its conventional media pie to some extent. Israni also reveals that the mix has been majorly on digital and TV followed by outdoor, print and radio in key markets. "We have even captured the medium of television. The break-up is 30 per cent TV, 30 per cent outdoor, 30 per cent digital and 10 per cent print," she informs.
Shifting focus to the existing sportswear retailers in the Indian market, German sportswear major Puma is presently at the top of its game surpassing rivals like Nike, Adidas, Skechers (an American brand, relatively new in the Indian market) and Reebok in terms of yearly sales.
In such a scenario, what sort of consumer research did Spykar perform before unveiling this new product line? Is it a mere attempt to keep pace with changing times, especially when millennials are spoilt for choice when it comes to workout apparel brands?
Israni says in her defence, "As per Nielson's most recent brand study, Spykar stands at No.2 on the brand equity index and we believe it's our prerogative to introduce 'new-in-style' concepts and products for our customers. Today's youth value brands they can relate to and those they feel resonate with their philosophies and needs. Therefore, with their lifestyles becoming pacier and the need to always be ready-to-go, Spykar GYMJNS is 'a perfect fit'."
Hoarding spotted across cities like Mumbai, Lucknow, Jodhpur and Ahmedabad
The brand has gone all out for this 360-degree campaign leveraging all possible mediums from giant hoardings in metro cities to digital and social media, TVC, radio, and print to make sure they have the millennials' attention. Of course, the big question is, - will this be the next "trend" in gym-wear? We'll have to wait and watch.