Io Media has experience in the health and fitness industry. The team, headed by founder and owner Tanja Schmitz, publishes home-grown magazine titles fitness and fatloss and manages various associated digital and experiential products, including fitnessmag.co.za, the Fitness Online shop, the FitAffair event series and the Face of Fitness cover model search.

"Over the last 13 years, we've built a large and dedicated community of passionate readers and followers through our unique combination of informative and locally-relevant content and our community engagement initiatives," says Schmitz.

Io Media will now apply a similar strategy under the Dis-Chem Living Fit brand, which aims to build a community of health-conscious and active individuals who can benefit from Dis-Chem's range of health foods and sports and fitness supplements.


"The consumer dynamic in South Africa is changing. To keep pace and maintain our relevance, we need to evolve the way we engage with our diverse target market," adds Paul McHarg, Dis-Chem health category manager.

"The vast majority of consumers today use digital channels such as websites, social media and apps to browse for products, compare prices and make purchase decisions. But, the majority still prefer to shop in-store," he adds.

To cater to this shifting market dynamic and ensure the brand was visible at every step in a customer's online and offline journey, Dis-Chem and Io Media determined that a cross-platform approach was needed.

"The concept we developed is the Dis-Chem Living Fit brand. It's an extension of the core Dis-Chem brand that will differentiate the health division. We will drive consumer engagement online with relevant content and personalised offers using multiple digital touch points including web, social media, e-newsletters and mobile," Schmitz adds.

"This will be augmented with traditional marketing platforms such as a magazine, advertising and promotions to drive both online sales and foot traffic to stores," says Schmitz.

The Dis-Chem Living Fit website launched in December 2018, while the first issue of Living Fit — Dis-Chem's custom-published magazine — released in May.

"Health and fitness enthusiasts now have a single trusted source of information on all things related to healthy living, sports and fitness— with the added benefit of easy access to the widest range of the best brands and products in the health food and supplement categories," adds McHarg.

"We're excited to launch this new integrated platform and are confident that it will position us as a leading brand in the new digital economy," McHarg concludes.

For more information, visit www.livingfit.co.za. You can also follow Living Fit on Facebook, Twitter or on Instagram.