In this episode of The Future of Consumer Marketing, host Brett interviews Gavin Jocius, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer of SAUNA HOUSE®. SAUNA HOUSE® is building the modern American bathhouse by adapting ancient wellness modalities for US consumers. Operating in a market where communal bathing culture is nascent compared to established markets like Finland, Japan, and Canada, SAUNA HOUSE® has grown from one Asheville location in 2019 to multiple corporate and franchise locations across the Southeast. Through strategic positioning against tech-bro wellness culture and creating intentional analog experiences, they’re capitalizing on the convergence of loneliness epidemics, generational shifts away from alcohol, and the growing demand for digital detox experiences.

Topics Discussed:

• Adapting international wellness concepts for American market sensibilities

• Strategic customer segmentation beyond obvious wellness demographics

• Creating forced digital detox environments as a competitive differentiator

• Leveraging cultural early adopters as organic brand ambassadors

• Building educational content strategy around adventure and expertise archetypes

• Scaling intentional community experiences across franchise operations

• Positioning against obvious influencer partnerships for authentic brand building

Lessons For Consumer Marketers:

Reject Obvious Demographics to Find Your Real Audience

SAUNA HOUSE® discovered their core customers aren’t the expected wellness optimization bros despite the Huberman/Rogan podcast boom driving category awareness. Through data analysis, they found their top deciles are “busy working professionals” interested in “running, reading, and music” – particularly stressed parents and creative professionals. This insight led them away from partnering with motivation influencers toward sponsoring touring bands and focusing on accessible wellness rather than peak performance messaging.

Use Cultural Early Adopters as Geographic Expansion Strategy

Every market contains immigrants from cultures with established bathing traditions (Finns, Russians, Lithuanians, Koreans). These cultural early adopters become organic evangelists who validate the concept and educate their networks. This creates a predictable go-to-market playbook: identify cultural communities in new markets, convert them first, then let word-of-mouth drive broader adoption without heavy education spend.

Create Forced Behavioral Change as Competitive Moat

SAUNA HOUSE® literally forces digital detox by making customers lock away phones – recognizing that willpower alone fails. This creates differentiated customer experience and addresses the core problem their audience faces. The constraint becomes the feature, making their spaces the only place many customers can have uninterrupted conversations and genuine community connection.

Combine Archetype Strategy with Geographic Advantages

Using Carl Jung’s archetypes, SAUNA HOUSE® positioned as the “adventurous sage” – someone who’s studied abroad, experienced authentic bathing culture, and values education. This archetype guides content strategy combining wanderlust (travel stories from Japan, Finland) with expertise (health research, cultural history). The archetype provides framework for scaling brand voice across franchise locations.

Structure Educational Content Around Heritage, Not Just Benefits

Rather than just promoting contrast therapy health benefits, SAUNA HOUSE® educates about bathing culture history – why NYC had public bathhouses at the turn of the century, how sauna culture is exploding in Japan despite being a Finnish import. This positions them as cultural curators rather than wellness vendors, appealing to their adventurous sage archetype while building authority.

Design Physical Constraints That Force Desired Behaviors

SAUNA HOUSE® designs seating so customers face each other, eliminating phone use through environmental impossibility rather than rules. Physical space architecture becomes behavioral intervention, creating the vulnerable communal experiences their brand promises. This insight applies beyond physical retail – how can digital products use constraints to drive desired user behaviors?

Capitalize on Generational Behavioral Shifts Without Pandering

Gen Z’s reduced alcohol consumption plus post-pandemic loneliness created demand for alternative social experiences. Rather than targeting Gen Z directly, SAUNA HOUSE® focused on creating premium experiences that naturally attract health-conscious consumers across demographics. They captured the trend by building superior experiences rather than demographic-targeted marketing.