Performance over Posh

How Bikinis are marketed for stylish sport activities

Everyone's been there, the strings of your bikini coming undone while playing beach volleyball or the fabric deteriorating after too many laps in the pool. Diving, swimming, surfing, beach volleyball, wake boarding, and even just an active day of throwing the football in the sun. I've personally survived all of these in a bikini meant for more for style than sport. But, there is a way to enjoy these hobbies that are still stylish, while not having to readjust ever few seconds.

This post will explore the marketing trends and strategies pertaining to the sporty swimmy, selling performance to the active beach goers. There is such a high demand for high quality, durable, no-slip bikinis and swim brands are taking advantage.

Kate Bosworth x Roxy Collab

celebrating 20 years of Blue Crush

When marketing the function, brands should focus on three highlights of a performance suit.

The first being security and fit. This is marketed as a no-slip promise. Also when marketing a sporty kini brands should focus on confidence in the suit and the fact that it will provide enough security that it doesn't cause distractions. A way to show off this attribute of the bikini a brand could feature photos of models diving or surfing. These action shots can be super influential to buyers as they are browsing different options. The key is to prove that it stays put.

The second is positioning the bikini as an investment. The people using these types of athletic bikinis want something durable and strong. This applies when people are it washing very often or always in the pool. Chlorine is especially harmful to certain fabrics and can make them deteriorate at a much higher rate, so targeting swimmers and divers who are always in the pool is a good strategy. This applies, to a lesser extent, to salt water as well, so either way durability is an important thing to highlight when marketing athletic bikinis.

This Jolyn Surf campaign from 2022 is a perfect example of these two strategies!

Lastly, the fabric chosen could be an edge up for a bikini brand. The material can be quick-dry which is a great attribute for people who are in and out of the water. And they can be UV protective. When in the sun all day it is important you and your bikinis to be protected from the sun because the harmful UV rays can decrease the suit's lifespan.

Self actualization!

When selling these bikinis brands are also selling a lifestyle. In Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the brands should focus on self-actualization which sells aspiration and goals. The visuals should be different than just any other bikini. They should feature the swimmy in action with the model doing the activities, not just posing in the sand. Also brands could emphasize the versatility of the suit doing many different sports.

Going with the theme, these suit should empower the consumer. Featuring empowering language focused of achievement and ambition when describing the suit or brand can make all the difference.

Another tactic seen very often in the realm of swimsuits are influencer endorsements. Partnering with people in athletics like Olympic divers and swimmers, beach volleyball players, and surfers would be very helpful and would exhibit the modeling aspect of consumer behavior and increase the trustworthiness of the brand. Brand ambassador programs are also beneficial. This gives athletes discounts for showing off how they use the bikinis in their specific sport.

Lastly, active bikini brands can affiliate themselves with water sporting equipment, such as surf board brands, or boat companies, such as Nautique.

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The demand for these kinis is high and consumers are looking for suits that aren't purely for tanning or posing for vacation photos. Brands hoping to break into the active swimmy niche could implement all of these suggestions above to gain traction with consumers!

Jolyn Swim 2024