The Next Big Thing - Module 1

What is the FitBit Force?

The Market Currently in 2015 gym memberships are rising across the UK, with the health and fitness industry set to grow by 2.1% a What is the FitBit year, attracting 800,000 new members.

Not only withForce? gym memberships but with health and fitness blogs and tips for fitness featured all over social media such as Instagram. Titles such as ‘get the perfect body’ are everywhere with hints and tips following health and fitness routines. The need for smart watch fitness is at a high, consumers with a want to track their fitness progress on a regular basis.

The Product FitBit is a powerful system for everyday use which allows you to keep track of your fitness levels, motivating you to be more active on a daily basis. It is a sleek, high-tech wristband, so is not only benefiting your health but will look stylish when worn. The device gives you real-time stats with its high speed tracking system enabling you to track steps taken, distance travelled, floors climbed and calories burned throughout the day. Another great feature is the ability to track your sleep, so you can begin to learn how to sleep better and be awoken by a built-in alarm.

The system can cleverly sync your stats displayed onto your computer or smartphone so you can keep track of your progress and see what you need to improve on. This is an innovative new technology which can benefit an individual with positive long-term effects, motivating them to keep progressing with their health. Not only health, but overall morale because of the sleep system which will keep track of how you are sleeping. Energy levels of an individual will be maintained with positive health levels rising and more sleep being had. Each day you can set goals on the device, and the feature of a progress bar to show your improvement throughout the day will keep you motivated. When a goal is achieved, Force will vibrate and flash in celebration when you press the button.

Brand Values In 2007, FitBit founders Eric and James saw a gap in the market, they realised that sensors and wireless technology had advanced to a point where change could be made. They wanted to create a wearable product which would enhance health and fitness. The brand’s mission is to inspire you to live a healthier life with the help of this wearable device. FitBit aims to get you on track in achieving your health and fitness goals.

The health and fitness sector is set to grow by 2.1 PER CENT a year, attracting 800,000 NEW MEMBERS.

Did you know?

Exercise is the single best thing you can do for your brain in terms of mood, memory and learning.

FitBit Force not only offers one product but a range for the needs of different individuals. This includes a system for everyday fitness, active fitness, performance fitness, WI-FI smart scale and product extras. Although the product is a niche-market smart watch, it is accessible to a range of different age groups. Each device has different features for the consumer depending on what they want to achieve from the FitBit Force. I conducted a small survey asking 6 people from each age bracket whether they would consider purchasing the product.

Would you purchase the FitBit Force?

6 4 No

2 Yes

0 Age 15-30

Age 31-46

Age 47-62 Yes

Age 63-78

No

After asking 24 people in total from each age bracket shown I found that each group was interested in the product, although the older age group did ask “What is the FitBit Force?” after answering their question they were wowed by the possibilities offered with the device. Although you would consider the younger age group to be more interested, the older generation were just as keen, stating they wanted to become healthier and liked the feature of maintaining your sleep on a regular basis, to overall become more energised in themselves.

Achievements FitBit has been able to help many people’s lives change regarding their health and fitness levels. With the FitBit you can gauge how active you are every day.

It can help you make adjustments to your nutrition, which will keep you motivated to carry on being active. Fitbit as a company has made achievements in the help it has given to its consumers, the way it has motivated individuals to keep up with their health and fitness is an achievement in itself. As a brand the company has introduced new products such as Charge HR and Surge which are the most recent product announcements. These products include brand new features to further enhance your fitness levels, which will see further improvements in FitBit users.

“My Fitbit holds me accountable and gives me credit for achieving my objectives. It's like my own personal audience who applauds me for a job well done.”- The Huffington Post “When I spoke with Harley Pasternak, one of the most in-demand trainers in Hollywood, he said the first thing I needed to do was to get a Fitbit to measure my daily steps.”- Vogue Promotion In 2014, FitBit launched their first advertising campaign as the fitness wearable market becomes more crowded, with competitors entering the market. Before the end of 2014, the company hadn’t advertised much as it didn’t need to, with a large market share in the fitness wearable category as well as its availability in in 40,000 locations. Although the brand still stands strong in the market, they are aware of new technology such as the Apple Watch are arising. The campaign will promote the new products: the Charge, the Charge HR and Surge. The campaign is brand-orientated but will highly focus on the new products, it showcases the idea that fitness is different for everyone and you can find your own type of fitness.

The Future of FitBit The company’s aim is to create a global data base for all their products so they are available everywhere across the world. "We want to get to the point where we're trying to launch all our products globally," explains Fitbit founder and CEO James Park, when quizzed on why the company was in Japan, expanding the availability of the Fitbit Flex. FitBit also look to widen the colour range available so that consumers can purchase a preferred colour, therefore the brand will appeal to more customers as the appearance of the wristband will be enhanced. There are many other possible areas as to how FitBit could expand the future of the device which could highly benefit not only fitness but other aspects within the world.

The use of a wearable wristband could change systems used in places like hospitals, with the ability to track certain things related to illness and health. Rather than large scale equipment, an integrated system could simply be placed on the wrist of a patient, meaning less complexity within a small device and more beneficial practically. NHS’s top doctor believes gadgets that record heart rate and other health information will revolutionise healthcare. Devices worn on the wrist like the ones that record your heart rate, calorie intake or distance run have a vital part to play in securing the NHS’s future, the service’s medical director says. “Fitness trackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated. But there are devices coming along which not only measure how much exercise you do but can also measure your heart rate, your respiratory rate, and whether or not you’ve got excess fluid in your body – quite complex changes in your physiology.”

Price Any Fitbit Device ranges from £50-£200 depending on which device you are looking to purchase. So you will pay more if you are wanting more features within the device and flexibility. Other brands such as Nike with their Nike +Fuel Band are on sale for around £90-£200 with a smaller range of devices, meaning less variety of capabilities within the device.

Therefore, the FitBit is far more useful in terms of being available to the needs of different consumers.

Competitor’s in the Market Companies large and small keep releasing new devices that are delivering the aspects stated of fitness trackers and smart watches. Devices such as the Apple watch and the Microsoft band are ones to watch for within the competition, so FitBit need to ensure they stand above their competitors by offering something that bit different. Although FitBit’s market share is said to be increasing, the company needs to keep an eye out for what the competitors are doing, particularly the tech world’s leading brand, Apple who are introducing their new smart watch.

“The Flex works. Compared to other trackers, its numbers seem accurate.

It’s comfortable and non-invasive on my wrist. If you want a wristband tracker, I think the Flex is the one to get right now.”

‘The Next Big Thing’- References Denis Campbell, (19th January 2015) The Guardian, http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/19/prof-bruce-keogh-wearable-technologyplays-crucial-part-nhs-future, 18th January 2015 FitBit Force, (August 2014) FitBit Force, http://www.fitbit.com/buzz, 14th January 2015 FitBit Force, (15th August 2014) FitBit Force, http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/About-the-Fitbit-Force, 12th January 2015 Lex Friedman, (9th May 2013) Tech Hive, http://www.techhive.com/article/2038201/review-the-fitbit-flex-wristband-bests-its-closestcompetition.html, 14th January 2015 Mat Smith, (8th April 2014) Engadget, http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/08/fitbit-future-of-wearables/, 16th January 2015 Maureen Morrison, (16th November 2014) Advertising Age, http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/fitbit-starts-global-campaign/295858/, 17th January 2015