Thrive Forward is built on a positive premise; live a better life by taking care of yourself and what you eat. Rejecting ages of habit, it proposes to do this through a plant based diet. Founded by professional triathlete Brendan Brazier and honed through his own approach to training recovery, Thrive Forward is both a health means and a product. Amidst the din of quick fix engineered foods and supplements, the company wanted to reach a core audience and expand from there. In a relatively brief span, Thrive Forward has pollinated across North America and beyond. Using modern means of communication and education to promote a very natural and organic means of health and sustenance, Thrive Forward’s story proves that people are receptive if informed in a manner which is convenient and engaging.
Thrive Forward is an interactive teaching program featuring the company’s cofounder Brendan Brazier. The Vegan triathlete has proven that there is a natural approach to both daily health and high performance (and its subsequent recovery) that is based solely on natural plants. This online program educates and customizes a personal plan for users. Most importantly, it makes the process one based on adjustments rather than a complete reset of lifestyle. Modifications rather than differences circumvent apprehension by users. As they begin to feel better and more energized the process will naturally evolve.
Even with a beneficial product like this, communication is often the key to longevity and success. A plant based approach to diet is relatively progressive and creative director DJ Lampitt was the key to delivering the message most effectively for Thrive Forward. From packaging and branding redesigns to branding assets to video shoots in LA and Vancouver, Lampitt led the teams which manifested the company’s fully immersive website and public visage. Erin Forber (Vega’s Director of Innovation) states, "DJ was the creative genius behind the launch of this program.” The aim was to create a presence in with accounts like Wholefoods, Sprouts, Shoppers Drug Mart, and Loblaws, paired with an intuitive and informative website. DJ describes, “In addition to retail featured floor decals, hang tags, and product, we developed and designed an e-book/e-platform with over forty plus videos and downloadable documents, recipes, health guides, and exercises. The idea was to give customers the tools while thoroughly guiding them into implementation at their discretion. We approached the creation and shooting of the online content and e-platform with a similar approach to creating a series of short films. For example, in one video Brendan Brazier walks through a farmers’ market and selects key plant based foods to provide a full and balanced nutritional shake to make at home. The viewer can watch this and then download a designed shopping list and a few recipes to their computer, iPad, or phone. We designed everything ourselves from the ground to match seamlessly and to make the process as easy as possible for customers.”
The message and the communication style of Thrive Forward is already proving to resonate with substantial increases on Instagram and Facebook as well as a growth of over 30,000 followers on the Thrive Forward platform. This is particularly difficult in the heavily populated health market. The synergy between Thrive Forward’s retail presence and online following is likely the lynch pin in this success. While many present online content without monetization and others create a product without significant presence, Thrive Forward blends both of these perfectly. Thrive Forward’s goal of supplying a means and knowledge to better health is taking root via a modern means of communication.