Lululemon

Lululemon did not spend money on traditional advertising for the first decade of its existence. No television commercials. No magazine spreads. No celebrity endorsements. Instead, Chip Wilson built a retail empire using a community strategy that turned yoga instructors into unpaid brand ambassadors. In every city where Lululemon opened a store, the team identified the most influential local yoga teachers and fitness instructors, gave them free clothing, and invited them to host classes in the store. Those instructors wore the gear in front of their students. Their students bought the gear. The product sold itself through trust, not media. The store experience was designed as a community hub, not a retail outlet. Free yoga classes on weekend mornings. Local running clubs that met at the store entrance. Goal setting workshops written on chalkboards visible from the street. The fitting rooms had lighting designed to make customers feel confident. The shopping bags featured inspirational quotes that customers carried around town like portable billboards.