By Kevin Byrne
I’m not a bodybuilder. At 6’3” and 175 pounds, I’m more gazelle than gorilla. My workouts involve runs along Lake Michigan more often than bench presses at the gym. However, while in the midst of marathon training, I do rely on protein shakes and amino acid powders to help with endurance and recovery.
The trouble is that GNC (General Nutrition Centers) doesn’t seem to understand the difference between the muscle heads and me. They know I’m a customer but they don’t try to determine why. They don’t seem to know what to do with me.
The online experience with the brand is the worst. I receive daily emails touting the latest and greatest in the world of vitamins and supplements designed to inflate me to Incredible Hulk proportions. Meanwhile, the Yahoo Mail banner ads, in a feeble attempt to be targeted, show more of the same. Along with the online confusion, the retail stores offer little guidance as to where different types of customers might find their preferred products.
GNC has the information; that’s the frustrating part. They offer a loyalty card and track online and offline purchases. The data is there, they just need to use it. With a little analysis, distinct groups would most likely start to emerge: the organic, yoga-types with their homeopathic remedies, the dieters looking for the newest fads in weight-loss, and maybe even the lean, mean marathoners.
By defining better segments, GNC could target their consumers with more efficiency and grace. They may even choose to use overlay demographics or at least ask a few questions about users’ interests and goals. Current customers would feel more included and be better informed of products designed to help them achieve their objectives. As word of this new approach spreads, GNC’s image may evolve to be more inclusive of individuals who might currently feel out of place at this type of store.
It’s all about segments. You’ve got to separate the gazelles from the gorillas and market accordingly. All customers are not the same, so don’t treat them that way.
Kevin Byrne is a graduate student in Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University's Medill School. He enjoys his constant carbo-loading while he trains for his fourth marathon. He can reached at KevinByrne2010@u.northwestern.edu.
