Claims Matter for Sports Nutrition

When it comes to the sports nutrition industry, there’s certainly no shortage of products promising to do amazing things for the body, whether they “restore energy levels," “help with gaining muscle mass" or “increase metabolism." Unfortunately, many products simply don’t live up to their claims and, consequently, end up getting pulled from the market. And many products that do work don’t sell simply because their claims aren’t compelling enough.

Why does this happen?

This industry exists to address specific issues that arise when playing sports or exercising. In many instances, sports nutrition products are born out of necessity. This is certainly true of brands such as Gatorade, a hydrating sports beverage created by the lab at the University of Florida for its players to combat the effects of heat exhaustion. However, it can be difficult to market a brand as the answer to a specific issue while also hoping for widespread success.

The way brands position sports nutrition products is as important as how effective the product is. Brands need to find ways to broaden the scope of a claim without diluting the message too much or making false claims. Failure to live up to the hype is a major concern.

Read the complete article in INSIDER’s Sports Ingredient Science Digital Magazine for five tips on marketing claims for sports nutrition products.

Phil Chang is head of retail at Hubba, a Toronto-based network that brings together retailers, brands and influencers. He previously worked at companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Pfizer and Target. He's held positions from sales to purchasing to global franchising. You can find him on Twitter @RetailPhil