We are joined by Moritz Fuerste, Olympic Gold Medalist & Co-founder of Hyrox in this episode. Hyrox has carved out a new niche in sports termed "fitness racing," blending running with functional fitness to create a unique competitive platform for fitness enthusiasts. It is experiencing explosive growth in cities worldwide, with participation skyrocketing to over 210,000 athletes across 30 cities in the 2023/24 season and events selling out rapidly. He discusses the the strategic growth model of Hyrox and how it's establishing itself within the bustling fitness market, without running any paid media! Moritz shares valuable insights into three key areas: 1- The creation of a new sport category, 2 - The power of community-driven marketing, and 3 - The tactical use of earned media to enhance brand visibility and engagement. Moritz's journey with Hyrox offers a compelling look at building a brand from the ground up through community engagement and building strategic partnerships with your vendors. Whether you're a fitness enthusiast or a marketing lead, there's a wealth of actionable advice and thought-provoking strategies in this episode.
We're joined by the Co-founder of Hyrox in this episode, Moritz Fuerste. Hyrox is a global fitness race that combines running with functional exercises. Hyrox is experiencing explosive growth in cities worldwide, with participation skyrocketing to over 210,000 athletes across 30 cities in the 2023/24 season and events selling out rapidly. Their origin story stemmed from identifying a gap in the fitness market for a measurable, repeatable sport that is accessible to everyone. Moritz discussed the model his team has used for a community-driven growth strategy that focuses on organic social media and partnerships with local gyms. This approach has allowed Hyrox to educate potential customers about their new product while creating a mutually beneficial relationship with fitness centers.
We break down Hyrox's unique marketing playbook, which focuses on event-centric promotion and word-of-mouth marketing over paid digital advertising. Moritz explains how their long purchase cycle is similar to buying a car, and how this has influenced their marketing approach. He also touches on the challenges of balancing mass participation with elite competition in their messaging & comms. As Hyrox continues to grow, they're now focusing on maximizing reach through live streaming of major events, seeing this as a key channel for media exposure. Throughout the episode, Moritz emphasizes the importance of adapting messaging, trying new things, and being willing to make mistakes in building a successful challenger brand.
Watch the video version of this podcast on Youtube ▶️: https://youtu.be/m8FSZUGMUP4
📚 Chapters:
🖊️Mentioned in the show:
Scratch is a production of Rival, a marketing innovation consultancy that develops strategies and capabilities that help businesses grow faster. Scratch is hosted by Eric Fulwiler, and he’s joined by Moritz Fuerste of Hyrox in this episode.
Find Rival online at www.wearerival.com, LinkedIn, Twitter.
Find Eric on LinkedIn and tweet him @efulwiler.
Find Moritz on LinkedIn.
Say hi at media@wearerival.com, we’d love to hear from you.