How DTC brand Gymshark created an influencer strategy for long-term performance

Alex Brownsell

An overview of Gymshark’s use of YouTube, Instagram and TikTok influencers to create a community of millennial and Gen Z fans.

Fast-growing British fitness and apparel brand Gymshark has built its success around a community of fans and a smart approach to social media – not least in its innovative use of influencer marketing.

Founded in 2012, the West Midlands-based business has grown rapidly across international markets, doubling revenues in both 2018 and 2019 to reach annual sales of c.£200m. According to founder Ben Francis, Gymshark aims to be a “multi-billion-dollar brand” within five years.

The brand has been heralded as an exemplar of the potential of direct-to-consumer businesses, and Francis is fiercely proud of its distribution...

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