Every fitness brand looks the same. Then there is BALA.

One brand I discovered while researching the fitness category: BALA. It stood out among everyone else because it clearly chose an audience and doubled down on their products, brand and all communications. It’s a Gen Z, feminine brand. Their products are weights and exercise equipment designed with an opinion, nice to look at, stylish, yet all following the same color palette throughout the portfolio.

The brand follows the product. Gen Z vibes, unapologetic, feminine, a bit dorky, silly and fun. It all comes together flawlessly and is quite recognisable since they are consistent with their color palettes (soft pastels).

The workouts section is phenomenal. Bold and with an opinion, colorful, fun, vibrant, a bit silly. Stages that look a bit theatrical, humorous, a bit sexual. All celebrating energy and femininity, going to the point of absurd with it.

What stands out is how they deliberately made the decision to stand out in a category where everything looked the same (like in most categories actually). The result: they grew 10x in a single year, from $2 million to $20 million. They currently sit at $29 million in annual revenue with a subscription fitness platform on top of that.

This is a rare case where product informs brand, brand informs communications and communications reinforce the product. A perfect circle. This is what happens when you know exactly who you are for and you commit to it completely.