For years, sportswear has been dominated by the likes of Nike, Adidas and Under Armour. But younger consumers today want to stand out with what they wear, even when working out. For many, this means turning their backs on the same old brands that everyone else is wearing and instead seeking out new, upcoming brands that offer a more individualistic look. This change in consumer behaviour presents a massive opportunity for new activewear brands. But that’s not to say that the market isn’t still fiercely competitive. In this article, we explore how new brands are disrupting the activewear market.

Product Innovation

The obvious way to disrupt any market is through your product offering. From tech to clothing, offering something new and improved is a surefire way to grab attention and sales. In terms of the activewear market, innovative manufacturing processes and new fabrics make new products possible. 

You may have heard terms like four-way stretch and sweat-wicking used to describe modern-day activewear, but features like this are only possible with advances in research and technology. 

Brands like A-Game are innovating in the space, and many of their garments, such as their long sleeve training tops, represent a new era for activewear.

Content

Content is critical today. There’s no excuse not to be active across all social platforms, as it’s such an important part of marketing, but it’s also another way you can disrupt the market. Established brands tend to play it safe when it comes to social content, but new brands can be a little more daring.

One way to win attention in this day and age is to make content shareable. How you achieve this is up to you; it could come through a humorous tone, working with a well-known influencer if your budget allows, or just generally creating content that is more creative than what’s out there. It may even simply be through jumping on current trends to make super-relevant content that users can’t help but share.

It’s also worth exploring how AI is being used in video production. AI is lowering the barrier when it comes to creative content, and this is playing perfectly into the hands of new brands.

Be More Visible

It’s easy to assume that new brands can’t compete with more established brands when it comes to visibility. But with a bit of creativity, it can be achieved. Celebrities and sports stars have never had a bigger platform than they do today, and this provides a golden opportunity for upcoming activewear brands. Even those with limited budgets have the opportunity to partner with upcoming stars and grow their brand in line with their popularity.

Final Thoughts

It could be argued that disruption has never been easier to achieve, especially when you consider how quickly content can now reach its intended target. However, it’s also worth considering that markets have been more competitive than they are today. Brands that operate in competitive worlds like activewear must get creative when figuring out how they can pry loyal customers away from more established brands. But as the tactics above point out, this isn’t always as complex as it seems.