Lululemon tuning into the psychological environmental factors of consumers.
“To elevate the world by unleashing the full potential within every one of us.”
Lululemon: Mission Statement | Vision | Values | Strategy (2022) – Here is Everything You Need to Know!
What goes through a consumer’s mind when reading this mantra? This empowering phrase sheds optimism, which makes a consumer feel good about themselves; moreover, a consumer may invest in the product.
It’s Part of the Marketing Plan
That is a common marketing plan for Lululemon and helped ring in about $4 billion in annual revenue (Marketing Breadcrumbs, 2021). Tuning into the psyche of the consumer is a primary way that well-known brands use environmental factors to encourage consumers to buy their products. They already have the top notch quality for their apparel but the brand’s honest care for their consumers’ mental and physical health is an appealing value.
Lululemon has made a global footprint with 600 stores world-wide and 4.2 million followers on Instagram. All of their clothing does the job, but is it worth the $50-$150? What is the purpose behind the consumer’s purchase: to work out or to fit in?
Consumer Psyche
Self-assurance and a desire for companionship are two environmental factors that affect the consumer’s action and reaction when it comes to any purchase.
Dr. Jonathan Fader, a sports psychologist for the New York Mets, stated “When you put on new fitness gear, you begin to get into character like an actor putting on a costume for a performance. As a result, you expect to have a better performance, making you more mentally prepared for the task” (Ricevuto, 2016).
When picking out the perfect new shade of a Lululemon product and putting it on for the first time, it is proven that one will perform better in the gym by being given more motivation to be focused. This plays into the factor of self-assurance; they purchase from a high quality brand and are instantly given a boost of confidence. It is considered to be a psychological advantage.
Hajo Adam and Adam D. Galinksy (2012) explored the term “enclothed cognition” in their journal, Journal of Experimental Social Psychology which dives into the systematic influence that clothing has on their consumer, “In enclothed cognition, the link between a physical experience and its symbolic meaning is indirect, as it is the clothes that carry the symbolic meaning” (p.919). Thus to the consumer the piece of clothing does not have an affect on them until they put it on.
Because of the global presence that Lululemon has, it lures consumers in so they can fit into a common group – or form a companionship. This may convince the consumer to put every other aspect aside – money, quality, or look – just to follow the trends. Jaime Wiebe from The Atlantic stated “But if you’re buying more into the brand than yourself, it might be a matter of fitting in, not getting fit. Lululemon has been called “cult-like”’ (Wiebe, 2013). It is innate for humans to seek acceptance from a group of people for a sense of community and belonging, and Lululemon customers is able to provide that just repping the logo.
Coming from a College Student – All the Research is True
A desire for companionship definitely played a role in my purchase purpose as a consumer when I bought Lululemon leggings and sports bras. I never purchased from the company before I went to college, I don’t even think I heard of the brand. Once I got to college, I joined the dance team and noticed it was a brand that everyone wore. I felt like the odd one out, and it eventually affected my performance because my mentality was convincing me that I was out of place. Therefore, not only was I just seeking companionship, but I also was in need of self-assurance.
Eventually, all of us on the team followed the bandwagon and we agreed that we perform better when we are all wearing Lululemon because it feels uniform.
The Lulu Effect
There is no denying that Lululemon products are great – it’s loyal consumer base would argue that it is worth the investment. It is a great company who values their customers – and their marketing shows it. Lululemon has become a brand that people are proud to wear, despite the fact that they spend $98 on a pair of leggings. Just by putting on those pairs of leggings, or that sweatshirt, or those shoes, the consumer has become more confident in themselves and feels bonded to a community of others wearing the same logo on their apparel.
References
Adam, H., & Galinsky, A. D. (2012). Enclothed cognition. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 48(4), 918–925. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2012.02.008
Perry, A., & Ondaatje, S. (2022, March 29). Lululemon: Mission Statement: Vision: Values: Strategy (2022) – Here is Everything You Need to Know! Retrieved from https://bstrategyhub.com/lululemon-vision-mission-values-strategy-here-is-everything-you-need-to-know/
The Official Merchandise Retailer of Michigan Athletics. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mden.com/
Ricevuto, J. (2016, August 02). Do Fancy Workout Clothes Make You Work Harder? Retrieved from https://www.shape.com/fitness/clothes/how-trendy-workout-clothes-may-affect-your-workout
Wiebe, J. (2018, June 11). Psychology of Lululemon: How Fashion Affects Fitness. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/12/psychology-of-lululemon-how-fashion-affects-fitness/281959/
Gabriella Marinelli 