As NHS wait times and referrals become longer, consumers are increasingly choosing to self-fund their health. And social media makes this possible – with advice and wellness products flooding our algorithms, it feels like anyone can become the expert. Telehealth brands, such as Voy, Numan and Hims are going one step further, with supplement subscriptions and online health plans in minutes.
For consumers, this feels like the ultimate control. We can self-diagnose and make proactive steps towards better health, without waiting for a GP. However, there are obvious risks. Unsurprisingly, much of the advice is misleading, as brands push product sales or clinic referrals, and influencers get paid to sell the dream. Plus, ads feed on consumer anxiety – making us fearful about potential health issues and their consequences if we don’t act now.
Healf takes a different route – advocating better health without manufacturing fear and doing so in a credible way. By busting myths and speaking out against ‘bio-hacking’, they nudge consumers away from unrealistic and unsustainable habits. Whist tips on diet and mental wellbeing reinforce the message of holistic health over one magic solution or quick fix.
The brands sold through Healf echo this. Thorne in particular leverages our authority bias, with evidence of rigorous product testing, decades of clinical experience, and third-party certifications. Their array of supplements, each with different ingredients, again battles the notion of ‘one size fits all’ – instead urging consumers to choose the mix that suits them.
Of course, Healf isn’t standing outside the wellness boom – it’s selling into it, premium supplements and blood tests, to plenty of people who probably don’t need them. But that’s exactly the point. The choice isn’t between profiting from health anxiety and abstaining from the category – it’s between converting fear once and building a relationship that lasts. Short-term social media strategies certainly grab attention, but they won’t necessarily buy loyalty. The ones to watch are those that grow trust by inviting scrutiny rather than dodging it.
