Ghosts of Fitness Past

Several of the pioneers of pop-culture fitness oversee licensing programs, joining today’s fitness trainers, such as Tracy Anderson, Tony Horton, and Jen Widerstrom, in inspiring lines of health and wellness-related goods. Three examples:

• Charles Atlas. This month, Pacific Swell Brands announced that it would be representing the Charles Atlas brand for licensing into core fitness categories such as apparel and accessories, publishing, nutritional supplements, and beverages, as well as collectibles, costumes, gift and novelty items, gaming, and promotions. The late Atlas launched a body-building program in the 1920s—it continues today—after turning himself from a “97-pound weakling” into a body builder. He was widely known from his long-running advertising campaign. The Charles Atlas brand already offers nutritional supplements and memorabilia on its website, along with the workout.
• Richard Simmons. Prominent Brand + Talent began handling licensing duties for the over-the-top 1980s and 1990s weight loss and exercise icon in 2017. Known in his day for his Sweatin’ to the Oldies videos, his TV show, and many talk show appearances, Simmons has been out of the public eye since 2014; recently a podcast exploring why he disappeared has put him back in the public consciousness. Simmons-related merchandise, some of which is still available on his website, has reportedly sold more than $1.5 billion over the course of his career.
• Jack LaLanne. LaLanne, who died in 2011 at age 96, has products such as books, clothing, and bobbleheads available through a dedicated website, which also features items tied to his wife Elaine and son Jon. Jack LaLanne’s Power Juicer, sold by direct-response marketer TriStar Products, has accumulated more than $1 billion in retail sales over its lifetime, according to TriStar. Sometimes called the “Godfather of Fitness,” LaLanne starred in various TV series from 1953 to 1985, as well as launching a gym, writing books, producing fitness videos, and inventing exercise machines.

Some of the fitness techniques used by these pioneers—who helped put exercise and healthy eating on the map, both in pop culture and everyday life—are no longer in favor. But their enthusiasm for a healthy lifestyle and their retro appeal likely resonate with a segment of today’s fitness consumers, even years after their heyday.