Lifestyle Marketing: The Easy Guide for Lifestyle Brands in 2024 [+Examples]

Lifestyle marketing is about selling customers a lifestyle, not just a product. This marketing approach can help you establish a loyal customer base and boost sales in 2024!

Lifestyle marketing forces businesses to focus on deep customer relationships and understand what their audiences need.

The best way to solve this is to understand what your ideal audience wants and fashion your approach accordingly.

We’re going to help you leverage lifestyle marketing with a step-by-step guide and the best examples!

Ready?

Let’s go!

What is Lifestyle Marketing?

Lifestyle marketing is a marketing practice that involves selling an ideal lifestyle and not just a product. Brands use lifestyle marketing to form greater customer relationships by understanding what customers value in their lives and how to connect with them.

While lifestyle marketing has many benefits, it’s hard to perfect, and you need a lot of time and resources to get it right.

Source: Brand Master Academy

Lifestyle Marketing: Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of Lifestyle Marketing

1.Business Scalability

Lifestyle marketing welcomes scalability for your brand. Lifestyle products will evolve as buyers and their shopping trends do. Because you offer products to add value to a customer’s life, there will always be ways to improve and build your brand and products.

For example, let’s say you sell artisanal, vegan coffee made from the most organic beans out there. A few months later, your target audience gains interest in more vegan products like teas and baked goods. You can focus on incorporating these products into your brand value. 

Let’s assume your target audience sticks to vegan coffee, but new coffee flavors and combinations are trending. In response to these trends, you can scale your products and brand by offering unique flavors and varieties that vegan coffee lovers want. 

2.Creative Marketing

Lifestyle brands have a lot of creative freedom in their branding and marketing strategies. You get to think outside the box and find ways to motivate and inspire your audience. 

These brands launch campaigns revolving around making humor of social or economic issues or standards or providing target buyers with valuable information to enhance their lifestyles.

With so much competition in lifestyle marketing, having the benefit of creative marketing makes it easier to stand out. You can create customer-centric strategies that give your brand a signature edge.

3.Increased Referrals

Once you build and implement your lifestyle marketing strategy, you may notice a boost in your referral marketing campaign. Buyers are more likely to refer lifestyle brands to friends and family because these products are relative to a wider demographic of people. 

Let me explain how this works in practice. Business A sells automotive products, and Business B sells skincare products. Buyers from Business A are more likely to refer people considering buying a car or needing a repair shop. But customers from Business B are more likely to refer people that love quality skincare products (and this is pretty much everyone).

So, which business do you think would gain the most organic referrals? 

Yep, Business B!

4.Long-form Content Segments

In addition to creative freedom, lifestyle marketing allows brands to use long-form segments. This means you can ditch short videos and ads and create more lengthy content. Brands can offer conversion-driven information to buyers. They have more opportunities to express their brand identity and voice and include trendy or humorous remarks.

Lifestyle marketing allows long-form content segments because buyers often want to know more about lifestyle products. They want to know how your brand can improve their lives and your brand’s values, meaning they’re more likely to stay engaged in long-form content,

However, you can’t enjoy this advantage without tailored content. Your content must give buyers a reason to watch long-form segments and directly share your value proposition and services. 

Lifestyle Marketing Disadvantages

1.High Overhead and Marketing Costs

The startup operating costs for lifestyle marketing is high because you’re selling physical products. Brands must consider where to store their products, transporting and delivering products, and how much product development costs. 

These costs aren’t cheap, making lifestyle marketing an expensive endeavor. Find methods to reduce expenses without compromising your service delivery and product quality. For example, you may opt to store your products in a vacant room in your home instead of paying rent for commercial space.

Overhead costs aren’t the only pricey expenses to factor in for lifestyle marketing. Your marketing campaigns won’t be cheap. With more creative freedom and long-form segments comes the cost of making those strategies work. 

Savvy business owners can find ways to reduce marketing costs as much as possible. Sometimes the most powerful content comes from the simplest marketing campaign. One of my favorite examples of this is Dollar Shave Club. 

Their first viral video took place in a storage warehouse. The entire concept was simple yet relevant and true to their brand identity. Look at examples like this for inspiration. 

2.Crowded Market

Lifestyle marketing is beyond saturated. So many lifestyle brands co-exist at once. Top-tier brands include Nike, Adidas, Puma, Apple, Red Bull, and Jeep, to name a few. Besides worldwide lifestyle brands like these, I’m sure you have loads spread around your local community.

So many lifestyle brands exist because lifestyle products are relative and valuable to a wider range of people. To combat this disadvantage, brands must find unique angles for lifestyle marketing. You must evaluate examples from successful lifestyle marketing brands, identify your competitors’ approaches, and how you can stand out from the crowd.

This isn’t a once-off gig. Consistently evaluate your performance vs. the market and your competitors to stay ahead. With so little space for new business ideas, staying in tune with customer and market trends and creating relevant, authentic marketing campaigns is a must. 

The Importance of Lifestyle Marketing

Lifestyle marketing matters because it allows businesses to create an emotional attachment with buyers. You’re not just selling any product. You’re offering your customers a way of life.

This approach welcomes more methods to emerge customers into your brand and secure brand loyalty because you’re selling an ideal based on who your target buyer is. Using such a personalized marketing strategy is the ultimate way to merge your brand and customer. 

Lifestyle Marketing: 6 Easy Steps

Step #1: Define and Build Brand Storytelling

Brand storytelling is the core of lifestyle marketing. Your brand must have a story that builds its identity and how it plans to create a way of life for its target buyers. Think about the who, what, where, how, where, and what for your business. 

For lifestyle marketing to work, you must be passionate about your story because you have to live out what you offer. Remember, you’re selling customers a lifestyle. To bring customers into this narrative it starts with embracing that lifestyle yourself.

Your target buyers are more prone to be attracted to your business if you genuinely love and believe in what you offer. 

Construct the inspiration behind your brand and mission statement in clear, customer-centric storytelling. You’ll use this framework for every step of your lifestyle marketing strategy. 

Step #2: Outline Your Target Audience

Lifestyle marketing calls for highly targeted niches. For example, if you’re selling authentic herbal tea, you know your target audience values health. Some of them may need herbal teas as self-medication. All your sales and marketing efforts must align with the values these buyers have and what ideal life they would like to live. 

Be specific about who your ideal buyers are, what values they look for in brands, and what lifestyle you plan to solve. Start with a general idea about your target buyers and add more detailed information in a target buyer persona template. 

Here’s an example of this from Neil Patel:

As you gain more insight into your customers you can segment your customers for more in-depth targeting. 

Step #3: Build Your Social Media Following

All successful lifestyle brands have solid social media followings. Dedicated social media followings are extensions of lifestyle brands. When customers see social proof of other buyers supporting your brand living your “ideal lifestyle”, they’re more likely to follow suit.

Get on every social platform your audience is active, and share content aligned with their lifestyles and values. Understand the day-to-day challenges your audiences face, and how your content can resonate with them. 

To develop a loyal social media following, you must maintain consistency. If you post five times a day and again after a week, buyers will lose interest. Your lifestyle must be present everywhere to gain interest and traction. 

Step #4: Merge With Your Customers

The previous steps build the foundation to merge with your customers. Successful lifestyle marketing demands you show genuine interest in your customers’ lives. This is the only way you’ll perfect your offering. The more you know about your buyers, the easier it is to immerse them in your brand.

Connect with your customers by getting and acting on customer feedback and giving your buyers a voice. Conversate with your buyers through live streams and share content that will excite them and speak to their values and what makes them your ideal buyers.

The purchasing stage isn’t the main stage of your customer journey. You want those customers to return and become a part of your brand. Work to develop customer relationships and deliver immersive solutions. 

Step #5: Encourage Brand Loyalty

Customer loyalty is vital to lifestyle marketing, it’s a step on its own. If you want buyers to adopt the lifestyle you’re selling, they must become brand advocates. 

Loyal customers are valuable for lifestyle marketing because loyal buyers can market your brand for you. If you don’t want to have the means to work with influencers, you can increase awareness through loyal customers.

You can send brand advocates freebies and ask them to promote your name. And some people in your customer base may be influencers or have large followings. This is an organic way to secure repeat purchases, become a way of life for your target audience, and have them recruit other qualified prospects. 

Step #6: Listen To Your Customers

I’ve mentioned several times how vital it is to understand and engage with your customers. To maintain this, listen to your customers and make providing feedback or ideas easy. Become accessible on every channel your target audience uses and actively engage with them. 

Respond to comments and shout-outs, and let your audience know you’re always around. With all this effort, you’ll naturally practice community marketing and establish a network of buyers connected to your brand.

To make it easy for customers to connect with you, use community-oriented marketing platforms like Discord, YouTube, and community forums. When you interact with buyers and provide valuable information, your community can help each other solve their issues and answer questions about your brand.

Knowing your customers is the focal point of lifestyle marketing, so always listen to them. 

4 Lifestyle Marketing Examples

1.Nike

Nike is one of the best lifestyle brands out there. This brand’s mission is to motivate and encourage the athlete in everyone, and they make sports fun. Nike has a wide range of sports collections and has partnered with numerous organizations and businesses in the sports industry to make an impact.

Nike also has a few apps to help people emerge into their fashion line and adopt a healthy lifestyle. Dedicated customers can get the latest workouts and exercise tips from Nike Run Club. This app is the ultimate example of Nike’s lifestyle marketing finesse. 

Using this app, people can track and measure their daily exercises with details on their average pace, average heart rate, and how many calories they lost. The app also highlights your route on a built-in map and shares your progress with your friends.

Key Takeaways:

• Developing an app is a fantastic way to practice lifestyle marketing and get your buyers to emerge in your brand. 
• Nike shows a genuine passion for sports by focusing on it in all their customer relationships, community, and brand values.
• The app is free and accessible, making it easy for anyone to get into sports. 

2.The Body Shop

The Body Shop has motivated a healthy and environmentally conscious lifestyle since its start. All the products, ingredients, logistic chains, and packaging this brand uses are eco-friendly solutions. The Body Shop has supported and led several campaigns, organizations, and movements to raise awareness about social and environmental issues.

Creating a community and giving loyal customers a sense of exclusivity, The Body Shop offers a Love Your Body Membership. Club members can earn points when shopping and redeem these points as money to spend on The Body Shop products.

Key Takeaways

• Offer membership to make your loyal customers feel exclusive.
• Raise awareness about aspects and concerns that align with your brand values.
• Be authentic and genuine about your value proposition and how you position your brand. 

3.The North Face

The North Face is the go-to brand for hikers because they’ve made outdoor activities a lifestyle. Nature enthusiasts rely on The North Face for top-quality durable outdoor gear that offers them value for money and a sense of community.

What inspired the name – The North Face was the coldest mountain in the Northern Hemisphere. From the beginning, this brand defined its value proposition, ideal target audience, and how to promote products they believe in while solving buyers’ needs.

The North Face has started and contributed to many social initiatives and programs to embrace and encourage a love for nature. Brand advocates can join the XPLR Pass loyalty program too. Members earn points for purchasing, get first access to exclusive deals and product launches and test the products they buy.

Key Takeaways:

• Understand your audience and what specifically sets you apart. The North Face didn’t just sell outdoor clothing but took a specialized approach to winter gear.
• Allow members access to exclusive deals before the general public drives customer appreciation.
• It’s easy and quick to join the loyalty program and earn rewards.

4.BMW

BMW was first a luxury car line and now a global lifestyle. BMW has its lifestyle store selling signature branded items die-hard Beamer fans would love. Buyers can purchase merch, like T-shirts, hats, umbrellas, water bottles, watches, sunglass, luggage bags, and more.

Adding all these products to their brand allows BMW to turn car buyers into brand advocates. They can promote the exclusivity of BMW by wearing branded apparel that no ordinary joe has.

But BMW also realized its target audience was interested in sports. The brand incorporated brand partnerships with sports brands like Puma for authentic apparel and offers elite golfing accessories. 

Key Takeaways:

• Adding apparel to your lifestyle marketing strategy is fantastic to build a community other people notice.
• Understand what other interests your ideal buyers have so you can offer customer-centric products.
• Any product and brand can practice lifestyle marketing. 

Final Thoughts on Lifestyle Marketing

Lifestyle marketing is a fantastic way to connect with your buyers and build brand loyalty.

However, the overhead expenses are high for lifestyle marketing and it takes a lot of time and resources to work.

But once you get it right you can establish dedicated fans like BMW, Nike and The Body Shop while enhancing your audience’s lifestyles and growing your business.

References

Forbes: 88% Of Consumers Want You To Help Them Make A Difference

Medium: Identity and Ideology: What is a Lifestyle Brand?

ResearchGate: Influence of Lifestyles on Consumers’ Buying Behaviour (PDF)

Science Direct: Understanding the Impacts of Lifestyle Segmentation & Perceived Value on Brand Purchase Intention: An Empirical Study in Different Product Categories