BRAND POSITIONING AND DIFFERENTIATION OF SAMA FITNESS

 

 

Brand – SAMA FITNESS 

SAMA Fitness is a health and wellness establishment that was founded by the South African Medical Association (SAMA) with the aim to provide vitality through professional expertise. It is also a professional body that assists medical professionals and students with representation aimed at influencing medical and health regulations The first of its kind, Sama Fitness has one branch based in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape. 

SAMA Fitness branding has blue and yellow with a touch of purple and red. These colours are also visible in its spacious state-of-the-art infrastructure, the walls have a touch of the brand colours. The brand markets itself through social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, its website, and activations around the Mthatha area. Its brand voice is professional and informative, this is because the brand seeks to educate clients about health and wellness.

Importance of brand positioning

(Janiszewska, 2012) states that brand positioning is how a brand wishes its customers to perceive and feel about it.  It is important for every brand to position itself in the market space as an attempt to distinguish itself from competitors and to persuade customers on why they are the best alternative. To achieve this, (Keller, 2008, 98) further states that brands need to establish points of differentiation and points of similarity to their customers. SAMA Fitness has positioned itself in the health and fitness space as a professional solution to health and wellness.

Points of similarities

SAMA Fitness has established that its competitors such as Health Club are the different gym and wellness facilities around Mthatha. All the gym facilities have similar gym equipment and similar classes such as spinning, boxing and boot camps. This is how customers are able to tell which market the brand operates under. This makes it easier for customers to first group the different brands competing in the same space in order to choose which one they think will serve them best. It also makes it easier for brands to understand who they are competing against so that they can try and find thriving points of differentiation that can position them as the first choice in the consumer’s mind.

Points of differentiation

SAMA Fitness has distinguished itself by basing its services on professional medical assistance for its clients. This has made the brand stand out for its customers because as much as other brands also focus on health and wellness, their brands have no medical background. Clients go to gym for different reasons and to achieve different goals: some workout for mental health, physical health, weight loss or building muscle. SAMA Fitness has doctors on site that assist customers with expert advice on mental health, nutrition, health and fitness, and physical being. This means that customers are able to get assistance on how they can possibly achieve their goals. In many instances, people go to the gym but do not have an idea of which exercises to do or classes to attend in order to achieve their goals.

The  ‘free’ assistance from the medical professionals is an added advantage to the customers because it assists them to better achieve their goals and where customers encounter injuries there are doctors on site to assist.

The gym is also child friendly. Customers do not need to worry about where they are going to leave their kids while they work out. SAMA Fitness hired caretakers to look after kids while the parents are busy with their sessions. The caretakers are trained to teach the children on life skills and ways to protect themselves. This gives the brand a competitive advantage over other brands because it provides a sense of security and care over its clients.

Competitive advantage through brand differentiation and positioning

How the brand has set itself apart from its competitors has managed to give it a competitive advantage over competing brands. The SAMA Fitness mantra: “A doctor-inspired fitness and wellness facility designed to cater to the lifestyle you desire” positions the brand as doctor-centric, medical and a solution to health problems. The mantra assists the brand to keep its promise of being a solution to the health issues of its customers. The mantra gives a clear indication to both the customers and employees on what the brand focuses on and what its competitive advantage is.

Using professional and medical background to advance the brand has given SAMA Fitness a competitive advantage because the minute customers learn that the fitness joint is established by a medical body and has doctors on site, customers start developing a level of trust and hope that the possibility of achieving their goals is obtainable.

The trained childcare professionals also give the brand an added competitive advantage as it offers customers comfort and trust that their kids are well-taken care of at no fee while they are busy working out. This shows how much the brand cares about its customers and try to make their experience at the facility memorable and welcoming.

References

 Janiszewska, K. (2012). The strategic importance of brand positioning in the place brand concept: elements, structure and application capabilities. Journal of International Studies, 10.

Keller, K.L. 2008. Strategic Brand Management: Building, Measuring and Managing Brand Equity. New Jersey: Pearson Education.

    https://www.samafitness.co.za/