WHOOP without the whoop: Winning in
Silence
In a marketplace saturated with flashy ads and influencer endorsements, WHOOP has carved
a unique path to success. This Boston-based wearable tech company, founded in 2012 by
Harvard student Will Ahmed (the CEO), John Capodilupo (ex CTO until 2022), and Aurelian
Nicolae (Chief Hardware Engineer) have achieved remarkable growth (from 3 million USD in
2013 to 3.6 billion USD in 2021 post money valuation) without relying on traditional
promotions or sponsored social media posts (Goisman, 2023). Instead, WHOOP has focused
on strategic positioning, longstanding partnership, and a product-led growth model that
resonates with its target audience. In this think piece, we are going to discuss the ‘silent
success’ of WHOOP buzzing around gen-Zs and millennials.
Stealth Marketing- Whispering the brand’s presence
The word ‘stealth’ means ‘a cautious, unobtrusive, or secretive way of moving or proceeding
to avoid detection’. In colloquial marketing, stealth branding is a practice of introducing a
new product or service through a ‘buzz’ in a surreptitious manner (Swanepoel et al., 2009). In
other words, unlike regular promotions through traditional and digital media platforms, this
marketing practice stimulates curiosity with an intention to spread ‘word of mouth’ about
the product or service without triggering any preconceived notion (Roy & Chattopadhyay,
2010).
How does that work? Let’s look at WHOOP!!!
Image source- https://news24online.com/
(FYI- Virat Kohli is not a brand ambassador nor an investor of WHOOP)
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Stimuli- Top athletes wearing the band (e.g. Virat Kohli, a cricketer wearing the band),
articles and podcasts (the Locker), exclusive community (Whoop Team)
Response- Audience curiosity → Organic search or word-of-mouth discovery → Perception
of WHOOP as elite and credible → Voluntary adoption
Result-
Search interest- 83% growth in 2025 from 2024 with 167k searches in March 2025. 29%
lower cost per purchase and a 30% higher return on ad spend (Chand, 2024)
Strategic Positioning
In a competitive landscape, finding your feet and keeping them ground becomes a tough nut
to crack. As per reports, the global smartwatches market valued at $33.58 billion USD with a
CAGR of 15.43% growth by 2032 (Statista, 2024). Players such as Apple, Fitbit, Samsung,
Xiaomi, and Huawei collectively account close to 60% of the market share continue to
challenge technological innovation, market promotions, and strategic partnerships
(Counterpoint Research, 2023).
In such an oligopoly space, how WHOOP is sneaking through?
Positioning Broad Target Market Narrow/Niche Target
Market
Low Cost Xiomi, boAt, Amazfit Local brands (copycats)
(Low-priced, mass-market
target)
Differentiation Apple, Samsung, and Fitbit WHOOP, Oura Ring (closest
(Life styled focused) competitor)
(Fitness and Performance
focused)
Source- Author’s own work
Sources of Competitive Advantages
Identifying the market arena is not sufficient to succeed, an organization needs to sustain its
foothold in the respective arena (Lacaze et al., 2024). This leads to discussion on the
‘sources’ that keep an organization staying ahead of others. How is WHOOP doing in this
aspect using VRIO framework (Valuable, Rare, Immitigable, Organized)?
Minimalist Design
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WHOOP's core product is a screenless, minimalist fitness tracker designed to be worn 24/7.
Unlike competitors that are juggling with flashy designs and loaded features. Additionally,
removing the screen and trimming down the chassis, it helps in maximizing battery life and
comfort alongside monitoring strain, recovery, and sleep. (Valuable and Rare Attribute).
Unobtrusive User Experience
The device collects extensive physiological data, providing users with actionable insights to
optimize their performance and well-being. Achieving pitch perfect accuracy in health vital
monitoring is essential in such wearables. WHOOP uses machine learnings, Large Language
Models (LLMs), Artificial Intelligence (AI), material science, miniaturized components with
industrial experts, and many behavioral impacts modeling to provide real time health
analytics for the user (WHOOP, 2025). From sensor design, proprietary models, and end to
end integration of real time data and associated analytics make it seemingly hard for
competitors to replicate. (Difficult or costly to imitate)
Community Lock-in
WHOOP has cultivated a strong community of users (called as WHOOP Team) sharing their
performance, progress, and valuable insights from elite athletes, fitness experts, and
security professionals fostering a sense of belonging and motivation. The brand's presence
on platforms like TikTok has surged, with over 3.1 million videos related to 'Whoop Fitness
Tracker.' (WHOOP, 2024) Users often share their sleep optimization strategies and recovery
routines, turning WHOOP into a status symbol among health-conscious individuals.
(Organized to capture value)
Hardware as a Service (HaaS) Business Model
Most smartwatch wearable brands have gone for ‘hardware-first’ model (Stanik et al., 2012)
where the focus is on selling the wearables to the best possible way. In this business model,
the primary source of revenue is the ‘one time sale’ of the device. It also leads to
‘transactional’ customer relationships that end mostly with the sale of device and warrantee
period. Additionally, in such a business model, the pressure is always on the brand to come
with a new hardware model to introduce new designs or added features (like smartphones
and PCs).
WHOOP purses “HaaS” business model where the focus is on ‘recurring revenue’ through
personalized health data analytics rather than the one-time hardware sale. This gives an
opportunity to for a long-standing association with users through continuous innovation and
support on health performance and increase the customer lifetime value (CLV). Users receive
the hardware for free upon subscribing, with plans starting at $30 per month (WHOOP
Support, 2025). Having elite athletes as ambassadors (Christiano Ronaldo-Football or soccer,
LeBron James- Basketball player, and Rory McIlroy- Golfer), association with major sports
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league (NFL and PGA), and establishing as a ‘health and wellness’ driven platform (WHOOP,
2025), it is creating ‘network externalities’ effect resulting growing userbase to estimated 125
million in 2025 in 2025 from half a million in 2023 (Cohen, 2023).
Traditional Smartwatches (Apple, Fitbit,
Features WHOOP
and others)
Business Model Subscription (HaaS) Hardware-first (one-time sale)
Hardware Free with membership Upfront purchase
Health insights & performance Notifications + general fitness (basic
Core Value
analytics metrics)
User Interface Screenless, passive tracking Screen-based, multi-app interface
Athletes and fitness
Target Market General consumers
enthusiasts
Retention Insightful feedback, team
Occasional updates, features
Strategy features
Source- Author own work
Top athletes becoming growth partners
Rather than rampant traditional and social media ads, WHOOP worked upon building its
brand through authentic partnerships with elite athletes and professional sports leagues.
They have been associated with WHOOP, often sharing their experiences with the device.
These collaborations go beyond endorsements; they involve genuine integration of WHOOP
into the athletes' training and recovery routines.
E.g., Cristiano Ronaldo's partnership (https://www.join.whoop.com/in/en/cr7/) included a
personal and immersive campaign, highlighting the real-life application of WHOOP in his
daily regimen. Such storytelling enhances credibility and resonates with users seeking
trustworthy health and fitness solutions, particularly among the loyal followers of these
athletes.
WHOOP has cultivated a strong community of users who share their experiences and
progress, fostering a sense of belonging and motivation. This community-driven approach
has been instrumental in driving organic growth, particularly among younger demographics.
Strategic Global Expansion
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While WHOOP initially focused on direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales, it has strategically
expanded into retail and e-commerce channels through partnerships with Best Buy, Dick's
Sporting Goods, and Flipkart (in India). At present, they have been shipping to 56 nations
including emerging regions such as Gulf and India (NDTV Profit, 2024). To carter a diverse
base, it has been offering WHOOP Application in five languages (Italian, French, Spanish,
German, and English) with further plans to add more regional languages. In nutshell,
WHOOP’s strategic expansion is a culmination of digital innovation, selective partnership,
and community focus that differentiates from closest competitors.
Conclusion
WHOOP's success story is a unique case in a smart wearable industry coming up as a greater
substitute threat to smartwatches. It illustrates the power of strategic positioning and
authentic engagement in building a brand without traditional advertising. By delivering a
service as a product, fostering genuine partnerships, and cultivating a dedicated community,
WHOOP has been establishing itself as a big threat in the wearable industry incumbents. Its
approach serves as a compelling case study for marketers seeking alternative paths to brand
growth and customer loyalty.
Note: - The think piece is written for educational purposes and not for endorsement of the
brand. All information provided is verified from multiple sources, however, readers are advised
to proceed with the facts and figures cautiously.
Conceptualized and written by
T.R. Anandan
Assistant professor (Marketing and Entrepreneurship)
References
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