In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett Stapper interviews Sara Abitbol, VP of Marketing at Jaanuu, a premium scrub brand revolutionizing medical apparel. Sara shares how Jaanuu is transforming the traditionally uninspired medical uniform market through product innovation and fashion-forward design. Founded by a female physician tired of standard vending machine scrubs, Jaanuu has created a modern uniform that healthcare professionals can wear comfortably both during and after shifts. Sara brings her fashion marketing background to position Jaanuu not as just another scrub brand, but as a lifestyle brand serving healthcare professionals.

Topics Discussed:

• Transforming functional medical apparel into a fashion-forward lifestyle brand

• Building a powerful community of healthcare professional ambassadors

• Leveraging word-of-mouth marketing in the uniform space

• Transitioning from a primarily D2C model to a multi-channel distribution strategy

• Expanding beyond traditional marketing channels with in-app advertising

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Identify Untapped White Space in Established Markets

Jaanuu found success by addressing a clear gap in the medical apparel market—combining functionality with fashion. By creating scrubs that healthcare professionals actually want to wear (rather than have to wear), they’ve turned a utilitarian product into a desirable brand. Sara emphasizes the importance of not chasing competitors but instead asking: “What’s the white space? And how can you do it best?”

Build Marketing Around Product Differentiators

Rather than simply marketing “scrubs,” Jaanuu highlights their fabric technologies and specific product innovations in every touchpoint, including SEO and content strategy. This product-led approach ensures that their marketing authentically reflects their key differentiators and speaks directly to what makes healthcare professionals choose their products.

Leverage Professional Communities as Marketing Assets

Sara discovered that healthcare professionals have created their own robust influencer ecosystems. By formalizing their ambassador program and having a dedicated team member manage these relationships, Jaanuu taps into authentic voices who can credibly showcase their products to peers. This approach is particularly effective in uniform markets where professionals naturally congregate.

Draw Inspiration From Adjacent Categories

Instead of benchmarking against competitors in the medical apparel space, Sara looks to lifestyle brands like Alo and Vuori for marketing inspiration. This cross-category approach allows Jaanuu to elevate their marketing beyond the typical constraints of their industry and position themselves as a true lifestyle brand rather than just a scrub company.

Prioritize Authentic Content Creation

Looking to the future of consumer marketing, Sara believes success will increasingly depend on creating authentic, relevant content that resonates with target audiences. As traditional paid acquisition channels become more crowded and expensive, brands that excel at organic content creation will have a significant advantage. She notes a shift in marketing budgets from paid acquisition toward content creation.

Diversify Distribution Channels Strategically

For 2025, Jaanuu is focused on a three-pronged growth approach: continuing to build their D2C business, expanding B2B partnerships, and growing their marketplace presence (including recent launches on Amazon and Macy’s). This multi-channel strategy provides stability while expanding brand recognition through trusted third-party platforms.

Implement Smart Testing of Emerging Channels

Sara highlighted their experimentation with Applovin for in-app advertising as a way to diversify beyond traditional search and social channels. Smart marketers continually test new acquisition channels while measuring their ability to bring in the right kind of high-value customers—not just clicks.