Purpose

By studying marketing strategies of the global Weider Nutrition International Group, this study aims to analyse how the industry surrounding fitness equipment and dietary supplements interacted with fitness culture through marketing, advertising and consumption in 1950s Scandinavia. The emphasis is on how the Weider Group established their position as a world leader in sports nutrition through mail order partnerships and advertising using bodies and body ideals in their campaigns.

Design/methodology/approach

The Weider Group’s marketing campaigns are studied through close reading of text and images in Scandinavian weightlifting and bodybuilding magazines in the 1950s, guided by a theoretical understanding of the body as a constant and ongoing project.

Findings

This study deepens the historical knowledge of market-driven aspects of sport and exercise. The market for nutrition and fitness products was internationalised in the 1950s. The study shows that cooperation between commercial and civic organisations played a major role in the enterprise of selling fitness and nutrition products.

Originality/value

This paper shows that in marketing the products, the advertisements – which appealed to both men and women – not only struck a tone of intimacy and desire but also cultivated a sense of insecurity and inadequacy, as well as individuals’ responsibility for maintaining their own bodies. The latter was reflected in young men’s letters to magazines in which Weider’s products and training programmes were praised. For women, this opened up a previously male-dominated gym environment.

中文翻译：

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韦德兄弟和膳食补充剂广告——20世纪50年代斯堪的纳维亚健身文化的商业化

目的

通过研究全球韦德营养国际集团的营销策略，本研究旨在分析 20 世纪 50 年代斯堪的纳维亚半岛的健身器材和膳食补充剂行业如何通过营销、广告和消费与健身文化互动。重点是 Weider 集团如何通过邮购合作伙伴关系以及在其活动中使用身体和身体理想进行广告来确立其作为运动营养领域世界领导者的地位。

设计/方法论/途径

Weider Group 的营销活动是通过仔细阅读 20 世纪 50 年代斯堪的纳维亚举重和健美杂志中的文字和图像来研究的，以对身体作为一个持续不断的项目的理论理解为指导。

发现

这项研究加深了体育和锻炼市场驱动方面的历史知识。营养和健身产品市场在 20 世纪 50 年代已国际化。研究表明，商业和民间组织之间的合作在健身营养产品销售企业中发挥了重要作用。

原创性/价值

本文表明，在营销产品时，广告——对男性和女性都有吸引力——不仅带有一种亲密和欲望的基调，而且还培养了一种不安全感和不足感，以及个人维护自己身体的责任感。 。后者反映在年轻人写给杂志的信中，其中赞扬了韦德的产品和培训计划。对于女性来说，这开辟了以前由男性主导的健身房环境。