Don’t just think about it, do it.
Background and History
TRAIN and TRAIN for Her Magazines launched in February 2013 with an innovative distribution model that evolved magazine publishing within the health and fitness Industry. A long time the staple of the marketing efforts of sports nutrition brands, the benefits of magazine advertising was initially dismissed by Bodybuilding.com (the world biggest health and fitness website) to their vendors who sought to drive digital revenue for brands within their online digital content pages of their website. Despite running down the benefits of publications like Muscle and Fitness, the perception of Bodybuilding.com having their own magazine that offered an ability to drive direct marketing, as well as increase the lifetime value of their customers by providing a free gift with purchase, was highly appealing.
For the last 7 years, TRAIN and TRAIN for Her Magazines have been part of the Bodybuilding.com eco-system both in the US and the UK markets and have spoken directly to customers who have spent over £2 billion on sports nutrition during this time. In January 2019 this partnership model was extended into the Middle East with all outgoing orders from Sporter.com being fulfilled with a territory specific publication. This was met with huge appreciation from consumers in this thriving marketplace.
Strategy and Implementation
The editorial team at TRAIN and TRAIN for Her produces the most authoritative, engaging and quality content within the health, fitness and wellness industry. They understand the importance and benefit of providing high value education to an audience who has a constant hunger for knowledge. This has been achieved thanks to their invaluable insights regarding how content can be used to inspire people and drive revenue by working with Bodybuilding.com who always stated that their biggest competitor was not Amazon, but the sofa.
The content developed by TRAIN and TRAIN for Her editorial teams has been uploaded and stored into i2media Group’s content management system and digital publishing tool (SIA). It has the capacity to house different content catalogues based on subject matter and localised language and translation. TRAIN’S health, fitness and wellness catalogue has the power to turn any platform into one of the biggest online resource in the world. This means the contents from each published edition of TRAIN and TRAIN for Her can be added to grow the catalogue on an ongoing basis.
Content Assets
Article Breakdown
Highly Rated Content
A 2018 survey completed by 1000+ bodybuilding.com customers produced a very confident response with impressive insights. “The response to the content is very positive with readers primarily enjoying articles with the keywords relating to workout, muscle building, training advice and nutrition content. What’s more, 93% of respondents would like to continue to receive the publication, cementing it as the perfect partner to power awareness.”
Content Examples
Social and Digital
TRAIN and TRAIN for Her have an ever expanding and highly active social media following. Their strategy is geared towards building highly engaged communities, rather than just going all out to simply accumulate higher numbers. TRAIN also has positive email databases with well-above-average open and click through rates. In addition to this, the magazine subscription is tied to the digital version of the magazine.
Community Building
TRAIN’S community building is focused on offering value to their readership. The new Team TRAIN initiative runs monthly challenge groups on Facebook where it connects master trainers or athletes with the fitness adoring public in the name of getting fitter through support. Members of the group receive free digital magazine subscriptions, support from team TRAIN and athletes, as well as encouragement from within the community. Winners are published in future magazine editions and there are commercial opportunities to tie in prizes from companies who work with TRAIN. The Team TRAIN community is now an ecosystem of content provision, value, brand building, trust, gratification and commercial opportunities.
- Value + Support = Trust
- Trust + Engagement = Growth
- Growth = Commercial Opportunities
Mutual Trust
TRAIN’S social and digital channels tie in synergistically with the magazine. Everything that’s posted funnels the community towards bringing the magazine content to life. The aim is not just for people to read the magazine. Instead, readers are encouraged to get involved and live the TRAIN lifestyle. Readers can perform workouts provided by TRAIN, take the supplements endorsed, buy the necessary apparel and equipment, take out a PT course or involve themselves in whatever the next step is in their personal development plan. This means TRAIN and TRAIN For Her encourages a positive blend of physical and mental development for overall wellness.
Brand Extensions
TRAIN is arguably the most generic and most under utilised brand within Health, Fitness and Sport as it is used to describe activity in any form of physical exercise. As such it has great potential to be developed in numerous other ancillary ways in order to maximise its potential.
Trademarks
TRAIN has US and European Community Trademarks in the following classes:
- Downloadable Electronic Media and Computer Games
- Printed Media and Manuals
- Sportswear, Leisurewear and Footwear
- Apparatus and Equipment
- Television, Radio media (including Hosting Awards Shows)
Associated Branding
