Unveiling What's Up Wellness Marketing Strategy: Key Tactics and Insights

Brand Overview

Founded in 2020 by Sayantani Mandal and Vaibhav Makhija, What’s Up Wellness stands out with its colorful branding and clean, plant-based vitamin gummies.

The brand is Shark Tank and Unilever-backed, giving it both funding and legitimacy. It operates primarily through its own D2C website and major marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart.

Its core mission? To make wellness fun, effective, and easy to stick to, by turning routine health supplements into a joyful experience.

Marketing goals include increasing awareness in new audiences, encouraging repeat purchases, and building customer loyalty through automation, influencer validation, and engaging content.

Marketing Objective / Business Challenge

When What’s Up Wellness entered the wellness segment, they faced three key challenges:

• Standing out in a saturated market: The wellness space is packed with traditional pills, powders, and capsules. The brand needed to differentiate using both form (gummies) and tone (fun, approachable branding)
• Driving habit formation: Unlike one-time-use products, vitamin supplements need consistency. So the brand had to educate users and encourage daily use while keeping it engaging
• Retention and loyalty: Converting first-time customers into long-term loyal users was a core goal. This meant creating a system that not only engaged users but re-engaged them with timely nudges

Marketing Channels Used by WhatsUp Wellness

1. Digital Marketing

• Instagram & Facebook: Used for daily engagement, brand updates, reels, and memes that entertain while educating
• LinkedIn & Twitter: Build founder credibility, update on Shark Tank milestones, and share behind-the-scenes stories
• Blog & SEO: Posts around wellness tips and vitamin benefits that organically drive website traffic

2. Influencer & Creator Marketing

• Influencers show personal use of the product in their daily routines, helping to build aspirational value and relatability
• Nano to macro partnerships allow for diverse audience reach

3. CRM & Automation

Platforms like Klaviyo and WebEngage power automated journeys for onboarding, reorder nudges, and retention flows based on user behavior

4. Performance Marketing

Paid ads target new audiences, retarget cart abandoners, and promote seasonal bundles across Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, and Flipkart

5. Offline & Referral

Wellness expos and word-of-mouth referral incentives help spread brand love in the real world, especially in urban hubs

Marketing Strategy Breakdown

1. Social Media Marketing

• Branded posts focus on positivity, empowerment, and wellness tips
• Content calendar includes UGC reposts, memes, founder stories, and product benefits
• Visual identity is colorful, youthful, and always “on-brand,” making posts instantly recognizable

2. Influencer Collaborations & UGC

• Partnerships are curated to ensure authentic alignment
• Challenges like “Show your 90-day glow-up” increase engagement and trust
• Testimonials are highlighted in stories, posts, and landing pages to reinforce credibility

3. Email & Automation

• Welcome flows greet new customers and explain product usage
• Abandon cart emails include cheeky copy and exclusive discounts
• Win-back campaigns help re-engage churned users with targeted offers and reminders

4. Community-Building & Habit Looping

• Weekly emails act as gentle nudges to stay consistent with gummy intake
• Progress trackers and streak rewards are built into email or app touchpoints
• Wellness content fosters emotional investment and a sense of belonging

5. Performance vs Organic Mix

• Paid campaigns bring traffic, but retention is powered by organic UGC, CRM, and community nurturing
• The brand invests in remarketing, lookalike audiences, and sponsored listings to expand reach without overspending

Results & Impact

• 🥈 Ranked #2 in Inc42’s Fastest Growing D2C Brands 2025 - a major milestone in industry recognition
• 🌟 Over 26,000 product reviews on Judge.me with a 4.7/5 average, reflecting both satisfaction and scale
• 💸 55%+ revenue jump driven by well-optimized email and automation workflows
• 📺 Shark Tank India feature + Unilever seed investment brought funding, visibility, and mainstream trust

Liking WhatsUp Wellness Marketing Strategy? Check out IMUMZ's marketing strategy to see how they stand out in the wellness industry.

What Worked & Why

• Brand Voice: The “fun wellness” identity resonated with a younger audience tired of sterile supplement marketing
• Content Strategy: UGC, short-form videos, and bright visuals made the brand Instagram-worthy and easily shareable
• CRM & Automation: Personalized touchpoints and smart segmenting led to better retention and repeat purchases
• Influencer Authenticity: Real users showing real results helped make the brand feel trustworthy and desirable

What Didn’t Work & Why

• Over-dependence on Instagram: Limited engagement from older and Tier 2/3 audiences who prefer YouTube, WhatsApp, or regional platforms
• Lack of Language Localization: Content was largely English-only, excluding non-metro audiences
• Underutilized Long-Form Video: Explainer and wellness storytelling content was missing on YouTube and OTT platforms
• Passive Referral System: Lacked strong gamification or incentives to motivate sharing and repeat buys

IIDE Student Recommendations

1. Video Content Expansion

• Leverage YouTube and Instagram Reels to create engaging short-form videos that highlight wellness routines, the benefits of gummies, and Q&A sessions with experts in the wellness field
• These videos should be informative yet engaging, capturing the attention of health-conscious viewers
• With the growing preference for video content, especially on platforms like Instagram Reels, this approach can help you reach a wider audience who are looking for quick, bite-sized content
• Consistent and creative video content not only drives brand awareness but also establishes trust by showing real-life applications of your product in a relatable format

2. Regional Content Creation

• To broaden your appeal and improve market penetration in India, it’s crucial to localize content by creating it in languages like Hindi, Tamil, and Kannada
• India’s diverse linguistic landscape means that providing content in these languages will help you connect with consumers in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities
• Collaborating with local-language influencers can help create campaigns that resonate deeply with these regions, making your brand feel more accessible and relatable
• This strategy will not only boost engagement but also ensure that your brand is perceived as culturally aware and customer-first

3. Gamified Loyalty App

• Introducing a gamified loyalty app will not only increase engagement but also reward your customers for their commitment to their health
• Offer rewards for milestones like taking gummies for 30 days in a row or reaching certain levels in the app
• Users can earn redeemable points for free products or exclusive discounts
• This approach creates an element of fun and achievement, driving long-term customer retention
• By integrating gamification with wellness goals, you turn the act of purchasing and using your product into a rewarding experience, incentivizing customers to stay committed and share their progress

4. Audio & Podcast Sponsorships

• Given the rise of podcasting and the popularity of platforms like Spotify, running audio ads or sponsoring relevant wellness podcasts is an excellent way to reach a targeted, health-conscious audience
• Podcasts cater to listeners who are often multitasking - whether they’re working, exercising, or commuting, providing the perfect opportunity to connect with people during these moments
• By advertising on podcasts focused on wellness, nutrition, or self-care, you can tap into a highly engaged audience who already shows an interest in health-related products, thus positioning your gummies as an essential part of their wellness routine

5. Location-Based Targeting

• Geofencing is a powerful tool to target specific locations where your audience is most likely to engage
• By setting up location-based targeting around gyms, yoga studios, and cafes, you can serve tailored ads or coupons to consumers who are likely to be health-conscious and already in the wellness mindset
• This hyper-targeting method increases the relevance of your ads, ensuring they reach local audiences who are highly likely to make a purchase, especially in areas with high foot traffic and potential customers actively pursuing a healthier lifestyle

6. Amazon Optimization

• Amazon remains a top destination for health and wellness products, so it’s essential to optimize your product listings for maximum visibility
• Enhance keyword targeting within your Amazon product descriptions, titles, and bullet points to align with what shoppers are searching for
• Running competitive ad campaigns can help intercept wellness product shoppers, especially those browsing for alternatives
• By focusing on Amazon’s paid ads, you can increase your visibility in a highly competitive marketplace and drive more traffic to your product page, ultimately improving sales conversion rates

7. Credibility via Experts

• Establishing credibility in the wellness industry is essential for building trust with your audience
• Collaborate with dermatologists, nutritionists, or other health experts to lend authority to your brand
• These professionals can engage with your audience through Instagram Lives, guest blog posts, or product endorsements on your packaging
• Featuring expert opinions helps to build consumer confidence and positions your gummies as a trusted and science-backed choice in the market
• Their endorsement can also amplify your message and reach a wider audience who values expert opinions when making health-related decisions

8. Referral Program 2.0

• Revamp your referral program by introducing tiered rewards that incentivize customers to refer their friends and family
• Make sure to highlight the referral benefits in post-purchase emails and within the app/dashboard
• By offering increasing rewards for more referrals (e.g., discounts, free products, or exclusive access to new flavors), you encourage a viral cycle of growth where your most loyal customers help to spread the word
• This kind of referral program not only enhances customer retention but also leverages word-of-mouth marketing to expand your reach at a low cost

9. Wellness Storytelling Series

• Launch a wellness storytelling campaign that features real customer transformations
• Share visual proof of how your products have helped improve their health and wellness, giving your audience relatable and authentic stories
• These stories could be shared across social media, email newsletters, and your website to create a cohesive narrative that connects emotionally with potential customers
• By showcasing real experiences and providing context for your product, you foster trust and authenticity, making your gummies more appealing to health-conscious individuals looking for tangible results