Alexis Kestler
The health and wellness boom has fueled incredible growth within the fitness industry. Alongside this rise comes more opportunities for aspiring and established fitness influencers looking to monetize their audience through brand sponsorships.
But with new activewear labels and equipment brands entering the scene rapidly, determining which companies to collaborate with can be overwhelming.
In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore the top fitness brands actively seeking influencer partnerships right now and provide tips for getting noticed.
Why Partner with Leading Fitness Brands?
Before highlighting fitness power players eager to work with influencers, let’s review the array of benefits from these sponsorships:
Rapid Audience Growth
Top brands enable you to tap into new demographics and exponentially expand your following. For example, Gymshark has over 8.4 million Instagram followers. Sponsored content gets amplified through their vast networks.
Monetization Opportunities
You can monetize partnerships in numerous ways – affiliate commissions, long-term sponsorships, branded content creation, product discounts and more.
Exclusive Early Access
Get first dibs on trying out new product launches before anyone else. This exclusive access helps you create buzz and hype.
Community Building
Connect with fellow experts, athletes and influencers part of brand teams for growth opportunities through collaboration.
When your values and audience align with a brand, partnerships can skyrocket your influencer trajectory.
Now let’s explore 10 leading fitness brands seeking influencer collaborations this year.
1. Gymshark – Performance Apparel Juggernaut
Followers: 8.4 million Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Nikki Blackketter, Lex Griffin
Overview:
This fitness apparel brand from the UK has cultivated a devoted fanbase through its sleek, functional activewear engineered for rigorous training.
In just 10 years, Gymshark has become a prominent force through successful influencer partnerships and retention of customers through community building.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships:
Gymshark partners with influencers who showcase intense, disciplined fitness lifestyles. Common campaign themes include revealing intense workout programs while wearing Gymshark‘s flexibility-enhancing apparel.
In 2021, they sponsored over 500 influencers globally through free clothes, affiliate commissions, event and content creation opportunities.
Sponsorship Perks
- Generous discounts
- Free clothes
- Access to exclusive events
- Branded content partnership opportunities
Tips to Get Noticed
- Showcase extreme fitness regimen in Gymshark outfits
- Align content with high-performance ethos
- Highlight community responsibility
Gymshark is currently the fastest growing fitness apparel company in the world, making it a lucrative brand for aspiring influencers to partner with.
2. Lululemon – Technical Athleticwear Behemoth
Followers: 3.5 million Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Amanda Kloots, Paige Hathaway
Overview:
With a cult following, Lululemon has become synonymous with advanced yoga/athletic apparel crafted for quality and versatility.
Despite competition, Lululemon retains market leader status in women‘s workout clothing thanks to continued focus on community building and strategic influencer collaborations.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships
Lululemon leverages influencers across categories – from yoga teachers, runners to at-home workout guides – united by showcasing Lululemon‘s technically advanced apparel in fitness routines.
Campaigns spotlight social causes, promoting self-care through movement while aligned to Lululemon’s brand image.
Sponsorship Perks
- Discounts on products
- Access to local community events
- Paid content creation partnerships
- Ambassador roles
Tips to Get Noticed
- Showcase gear during workouts – yoga, running etc.
- Promote mindfulness, self-care and living fully
- Highlight commitment to movement as self-care
With continued category leadership and new members fueled by strategic influencer partnerships, Lululemon promises lucrative reach for sponsored creators.
3. Under Armour – Innovation-Focused Athletic Titan
Followers: 10.4 million Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Dwayne Johnson, Misty Copeland, Lindsey Vonn
Overview:
This performance apparel pioneer helps optimize human output through highly functional, innovative activewear and gear.
Under Armour retains relevance by evolving fitness solutions backed by technology while strategically partnering with influential athletes and fitness guides.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships
Under Armour aligns with influencers anchored in intense fitness niches willing to test innovative products during hardcore training regimes and provide authentic feedback.
Previous campaigns have focused on showcasing record-setting athletic achievements while wearing new Under Armour shoe or apparel releases.
Sponsorship Perks
- Generous free products
- Discounts up to 40%
- Affiliate commission opportunities
- Access to senior brand reps
Tips to Get Noticed
- Test gear during intense training routines
- Provide authentic, constructive feedback
- Highlight innovation in driving performance
The continued emphasis on advanced fitness-enhancing technology means Under Armour promises lucrative reach for tech-focused influencers.
4. Nike – The Leading Sportswear Brand
Followers: 247 million across social media
Notable Partnerships: Cristiano Ronaldo, Serena Williams
Overview: The most dominant player in athletic footwear and apparel, Nike helps equip athletes across sports through innovative gear. Its "Just Do It" slogan epitomizes the brand’s competitive grit.
Nike retains its leadership status by sponsoring athletes breaking records across sports – from marathon running to basketball. Influencer campaigns spotlight beating the odds through hard work while wearing Nike apparel.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships: Nike looks to partner with influencers who’ve adopted extreme fitness regimens and set audacious goals. Campaigns involve chasing milestones over a long-term training period with Nike gear in tow.
Sponsorship Perks: As the leading sports brand, Nike offers the most lucrative sponsorship packages covering:
- Generous free products annually
- Travel and expense coverage
- Affiliate commission opportunities
- Creative content direction
Tips to Get Noticed:
- Commit to intense, unconventional training regimes
- Set audacious, milestone goals
- Convey the “Just Do It” mentality through content
With its vast legacy and resources, Nike promises the most visibility and career-accelerating opportunities for sponsored athletes. Landing a partnership requires showcasing aligned grit.
5. Brooks Running – Specialist Shoe Innovator
Followers: 615k Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Des Linden, Lazarus Lake
Overview: Brook Running has earned a niche as the choice footwear brand for seasoned marathon runners and trail specialists. They obsess over inventing shoes to optimize run efficiency.
Despite competition from Nike and Adidas, Brooks retains loyalty through shoes designed for specific runner types using biomechanics research. Brooks is currently the #1 running shoes brand in specialty retail.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships
As category experts, Brooks partners with long-distance runners to test shoes during races, provide authentic feedback and set personal records. Athlete stories spotlight Brooks “Run Happy” mantra.
Sponsorship Perks
- Free running shoes
- Entry fees for sponsored races
- Affiliate commissions
- InstaGram takeovers during runs
Tips to Get Noticed
- Highlight shoe technology enabling your longest runs
- Share your authentic product feedback
- Promote Run Happy mentality through content
For niche runners committed to marathon distances, Brooks promises great exposure and products catered to your specialty.
6. Therabody – Recovery Gear Leader
Followers: 711k Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Maria Sharapova, Ben Bruno
Overview: Therabody has carved a market-leading niche in percussive and vibration therapy devices to help accelerate recovery, reduce muscle pain and optimize athletic performance.
Despite competition in the recovery device space, Therabody retains loyalty through continuous innovation and influencer partnerships showcasing product efficacy.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships
Therabody aligns with fitness experts and athletic trainers who use their cannons and rollers to accelerated post-workout recovery or treat injuries during intense training seasons.
Sponsorship Perks
- Free products (Massage guns, vibrating rollers)
- Affiliate commission opportunities
- Discounts on full line
- Content creation opportunities
Tips to Get Noticed
- Demonstrate role of Therabody gear in your training toolkit
- Highlight faster recovery through Therabody suite
- Provide authentic product reviews
For fitness influencers focused on optimizing performance, Therabody promises great exposure and products catered to your specialty.
7. Tonal – Breakthrough Strength Training Gear
Followers: 463k Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Mr. Olympia Jay Cutler, Brooke Ence
Overview: Tonal disrupted traditional strength training through its innovative, adaptive weight-based system doubling as both personal trainer and spotter. The smart adjustable pulleys enable unlimited strength exercises.
Despite new entrants, Tonal leads smart home gym equipment thanks to its advanced proprietary technology and strategic partnerships amplifying its reach.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships
Tonal collaborates with fitness guides, athletes and macro-influencers to demonstrate endless exercise modalities its automated weight pulley system enables to build strength effectively and safely at home.
Sponsorship Perks
- Free Tonal home gym machine (RRP $2,995)
- Exposure through Tonal’s social channels
- Affiliate commission opportunities
- Instagram takeovers
Tips to Get Noticed
- Showcase strength gains using Tonal’s digital weights
- Highlight revolutionizing home workouts
- Provide authentic reviews on ease of use
For home workout specialists and intermediate level fitness guides, Tonal provides great exposure and gifting of its category-leading equipment.
8. iFit – Fast-Growing Connected Fitness Platform
Followers: 274k Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Tommy Rivers Puzey, NordicTrack
Overview: iFit offers unlimited access to over 16,000 live and on-demand connected fitness classes spanning equipment categories like treadmill, cycling and elliptical.
The streaming platform paired with smart workout machines has witnessed meteoric growth thanks to interactive content and strategic influencer campaigns expanding its reach.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships
iFit aligns with macro and micro influencers to produce exclusive workout series across modalities like HIIT, yoga and strength training aired on their digital platform to help expand its niche content.
Sponsorship Perks
- Affiliate commission opportunities
- Free yearly iFit membership (~$400 value)
- iFit-funded content production
- Spotlight through iFit’s social channels
Tips to Get Noticed
- Highlight versatility of iFit’s on-demand workouts
- Showcase niche training modalities
- Promote interactive, global workouts
For online trainers and fit pros seeking expanded distribution, iFit provides great exposure and Integrated partnership opportunities.
9. Obe Fitness – Premium Digital Workouts Platform
Followers: 141k Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Kayla Itsines, Paige Hathaway
Overview: Obe offers unlimited access to premium digital workouts fueled by world-class instructors across modalities – dance, Pilates, barre and core cardio.
Their niche focuses on producing Hollywood-quality content paired with results-driven training. Strategic influencer collaborations co-creating signature program series help attract new members.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships
Obe aligns with celebrity trainers and online influencers to co-produce workout program series infused with their signature training styles to distribute across Obe’s platform.
Sponsorship Perks
- Revenue sharing model with program sales
- Production expenses covered
- Cross-channel promotion
Tips to Get Noticed
- Showcase strong production/content chops
- Highlight niche fitness skills/styles
- Promote transformational results
For online fitness coaches seeking a platform distributing premium content, OBE provides great exposure and monetization.
10. Women‘s Health – Leading Active Living Media Brand
Followers: 2 million Instagram followers
Notable Partnerships: Kayla Itsines, Kelsey Wells
Overview: Women’s Health has dominated the active living media space through magazine circulation and online distribution of training tips, nutrition advice and inspirational stories.
They‘ve built authority through time-tested print expertise while leveraging digital influencer partnerships expanding their reach and modernizing their brand.
Ideal Influencer Partnerships
Women’s Health spotlights social media influencers across fitness disciplines to share training programs, health journeys, seasonal advice aligned to their brand image as motivational yet functional fitness authorities.
Sponsorship Perks
- National distribution of advice content
- Cross-promotional opportunities
- Co-branded merchandising collaborations
- Handsome talent fees
Tips to Get Noticed
- Highlight relatable health/fitness journey
- Provide inspiring yet practical fitness/nutrition tips
- Showcase expertise building healthier lifestyles
Given its vast multimedia distribution, Women’s Health provides great exposure for motivating everyday influencers.
Essential Tips for Getting Noticed
To catch the eye of leading fitness brands, focus on showcasing subject expertise while aligning with their ethos authentically.
Here are extra tips for getting noticed:
Flaunt niche insights: Create detailed reviews and comparisons between gear showcasing your insider category knowledge.
Quantify fitness achievements: Capture training through performance metrics and stats over time underscoring credible outcomes.
Engage your community: Build loyalty and relationships through consistent value-adding interaction. Brands crave your influence.
Innovate branded content: Produce visually arresting videos or photos transforming products into artistic hero elements. Convey creative directing skills.
But most critically – initiate contact directly with brand managers through emails or social channels. Express genuine interest in working together aligned to mutual goals.
Landing a partnership requires pursuing brands actively just as you would chase any other fitness milestone.
Choose the Fitness Brand That Fits You Best
With so many prominent companies seeking influencer talent today, be selective concerning best alignment to provide maximum value to each other.
While major players like Nike or Gymshark guarantee mass exposure, category specialists like Therabody may fit better for injury-focused coaches pursuing niche audiences.
Similarly, digital platform partnerships like iFit offer built-in distribution for online trainers looking to expand their reach through integrated content deals.
Do your research to determine which brands could mutually support your position aspirations in the space. This clarity will help targeting partnership pursuit accordingly.
Here’s to landing fruitful collaborations helping you make your mark as a fitness influencer in 2023! Just remember to put in the work.
