Gymshark
Challenge:
Gymshark wants to motivate adolescents to exercise more, in a way that's inclusive to all young people from different backgrounds
Insight:
The best exercise in when you forget you’re doing it
There are many barriers that can prevent young people from exercising (e.g., lack of resources, financial income, and changing bodies). When researching more into the relationship between children and exercise, I found that children whose families owned dogs walked for about 100 more minutes each week and played with their pets for another 200 minutes.
But why should people be limited if they can't afford or own a dog?
Case Study Video:
Introducing…
Gymdog - Written Summary
Gymdog starts with an app created and released by Gymshark. The app features the new Gymdog logo, a fun and tailored variation of the Gymshark logo, featuring a dog instead of a shark. When the app is opened, users will be greeted by the line "Lead the way".
The user will then be asked to choose the breed of dog they want and then name their chosen dog. Once chosen, they will be able to meet their new furry friend!
The dog will start out as a puppy, however the more the owner uses the app, the more the dog will grow. Not only is this a fun way to motivate them to consistently use Gymdog, it allows them to actually see their dog grow up, like a real owner would do.
The user can now go and walk their dog! As they walk, they will be able to see their virtual dog walking next to them through their phones.
As well as walking the dog, the owner will be able to play with the dog by throwing a virtual ball by swiping up on the screen.
Instead of tracking the number of steps they have done, which can lead to unhealthy obsessive habits in teens, the user will be able to see and track how long they have walked each day. In order to encourage improvement for conditioning, when their daily average increases, they will be able to earn rewards. These include discounts on Gymshark's Gymdog range (see below).
The app will also allow the user to see or plan their route and track where they have walked their dog, documenting their progress...
Dog owners love sharing pictures of themselves with their pets on social media so why should Gymdog owners be any different? Users will be able to take realistic pictures with their Gymdog's on the app using CGI, with the option to share these pictures on social media .
Alongside the release of the Gymdog app, Gymshark will launch the Gymdog range on their website. This range will contain clothes specifically made for teenagers developing bodies. As the sportswear tends to be tight and revealing, Gymdog will contain trendy, loose fitting sports clothes for teenagers who are body conscious. The range will include adjustable sports bras which can be loosened as breasts develop. All clothing in the Gymdog range will have a QR code on the label, taking them to the Gymdog app on the App Store.
If the user doesn't want to be rewarded for their progress with discounts for the Gymdog range, they can unlock virtual toys, treats and clothes for their dog.
As community is a big part of Gymshark, we wanted to take Gymdog to the next level by allowing people to connect with friends on that app and walk their dogs together. Both friends will be able to see their dog and their friend's dog as they walk.
When with other Gymdog owners, users can also take group photos with their friends and dogs, making sharing pet photos even more fun.