In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Roman Kirsch interviews Chris Edson, CEO and Co-Founder of Second Nature, a digital behavioral change program for sustainable weight loss. Founded a decade ago, Second Nature has evolved from an NHS healthcare service to a consumer brand that’s raised over $40 million in funding. The company stands out in the notoriously low-trust weight loss industry by focusing on behavioral science, offering personalized coaching, and publishing clinical evidence showing sustained results over five years. As the weight loss landscape shifts with the introduction of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Second Nature continues to evolve its approach while maintaining its focus on building sustainable habits.

Topics Discussed:

• Building a science-based brand in the low-trust weight loss industry
• Transitioning from a B2B healthcare provider to a consumer brand
• Using behavioral science to create sustainable habit change
• Implementing human coaching and community support for accountability
• Applying “Jobs to be Done” framework to understand customer motivations
• Leveraging NHS certification as a trust signal in marketing
• Adapting to the rise of GLP-1 medications like Ozempic
• Solving the retention paradox in weight loss programs
• User research strategies across different customer lifecycles

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Identify Root Causes Rather Than Surface-Level Symptoms

Second Nature doesn’t simply tell users to “eat less, move more” but focuses on changing psychology around food and addressing why people overeat. This deeper approach leads to more sustainable results, with published data showing 5% maintained weight loss five years after completing the program – a stark contrast to typical yo-yo dieting outcomes.

Use Institutional Credibility to Build Trust in Low-Trust Categories

In the weight loss industry, which is plagued by fad diets and dubious claims, Second Nature leverages its NHS background and scientific research (nine published papers) as powerful trust signals. This positioning as the “no-bullshit, science-based” option helps differentiate from celebrity-endorsed diets and establishes credibility in a skeptical market.

Apply “Jobs to be Done” to Uncover Emotional Motivations

Second Nature evolved their marketing by focusing on the real jobs customers were “hiring” them to do. By digging deeper than surface-level goals (“losing weight”) to uncover underlying emotional and social motivations (feeling comfortable in social settings, living longer for grandchildren), they developed more resonant messaging that connected with prospective customers.

Balance Data-Driven Marketing with Qualitative Insights

Rather than relying solely on A/B testing and quantitative data, Second Nature complements this with extensive user interviews at every customer lifecycle stage. This approach helped them develop “customer instances” (their version of personas) that account for both stable characteristics and context-dependent decision factors that influence purchasing decisions.

Create New Revenue Streams by Extending the Customer Journey

Second Nature addresses the inherent retention challenge of weight loss programs by developing products for weight maintenance after customers achieve their initial goals. This approach aligns customer success with business goals and extends lifetime value beyond the initial weight loss phase.

Leverage Existing Products in New Categories When Markets Shift

When GLP-1 medications (Ozempic, Wegovy) disrupted the weight loss landscape, Second Nature adapted by creating a medication-assisted program that combines pharmaceuticals with their proven coaching approach. This targets a new segment seeking both the immediate results of medication and the sustainable habits needed to maintain weight loss after discontinuing medication.

Focus on the “Pareto Principle” Before Over-Personalization

Rather than immediately jumping to hyper-personalization through biomarkers and complex systems, Second Nature first ensures customers master the fundamentals that drive 80% of results (eating less processed food, more vegetables, increased protein, regular exercise). This approach makes their program more accessible while still delivering significant results for most users.