Wanted: A Soul

Wiggle had grown as an online sports retailer catering to serious runners, cyclists and triathletes. But their dedication to serving ‘committed’ athletes was holding them back. Could they create a broader appeal while staying true to their performance roots?

Serious, successful – and stuck

The team at Wiggle were a passionate bunch: dedicated runners and cyclists, knowledgeable gear-freaks, and serious about serving their tribe of committed athletes.

This dedication, plus a strong commercial focus, had helped them build a loyal customer base – and left them with a problem: for sustainable growth, they needed to be supplying a broader range of gear to a more mainstream customer.

They knew the key to this lay in properly thinking about Wiggle as a brand for the first time.  Or as their CEO summed up: success depends on ‘putting the soul into Wiggle’.

No. More. Excuses.

During our time together we helped the team explore how they could expand their idea of serving committed athletes. The aha moment came when they realised that being a brand for the motivated meant they could stay true to their roots, while also allowing them to have a broader, more playful appeal.

And a Challenger approach gave them a monster to help their customers fight: the excuses that chip away at your motivation. It’s too cold. It’s too hilly. It’s too early. I don’t have the right gear.  

The final piece of the jigsaw was the name: Wiggle. The team realised they simply hadn’t been making the most of its potential. One workshop provocation later and ‘Get your Wiggle on’ and the phrases ‘Making some Wiggle room’ were on everybody’s lips. These words and ideas quickly became a shorthand for brand’s new playful, energetic way of seeing the world.

Let’s make some Wiggle room

Wiggle’s new focus on fun and motivation was brought to life with a completely new brand visual identity developed by the team at LOVE. This has led to an outpouring of creative work, brand partnerships and collaborations. Created with The Romans every activation is full of that motivational, playful spirit: 

‘We’ll have really earned a beer’. Wiggle challenged customers to get out and enjoy the great outdoors and have a free pint of their specially created Trale beer. The catch – you had to hike to the UK most remote pub, a 15 mile hike or 7 mile swim.

In collaboration with mental health charity Calm, Wiggle launched the ‘Daily Dose of Dopamine’ podcast to combat the post marathon blues. Designed deliberately to help with runners who were feeling a little down and directionless after such a monumental challenge.

The strategy has helped to reinforce the brand’s valued partners, too. When the Muslim Hikers walking group faced online abuse after their story was featured on the BBC, it was clear more needed to be done to ensure the outdoors really is for everyone. So Wiggle partnered with the group and adidas TERREX to launch an innovative all-weather prayer mat, while signs have been erected in the Peak District signalling the direction of Mecca for Muslims wanting to engage in prayer while hiking.

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