Australian wellness brand KIC has launched a new campaign called ‘Progress. Not Perfection’, backed by new proprietary research revealing the confronting impact of optimisation culture.
Characterised by wearable tech, biohacking, sleep scoring and relentless self-monitoring — the optimisation era has created a pressure that is quietly making women feel worse, not better. KIC is calling it out, with insights from hundreds of women this month:
- 97% have felt pressure to optimise their health in the last 12 months
- 4 in 5 say checking a health metric has ruined their mood for the day
- 4 in 5 have spoken negatively to themselves after checking a health metric
- 51% say tracking their health makes them feel more isolated, not more connected
- 42% are tracking simply because they feel like they should
- 1 in 3 have avoided a social situation or cancelled plans in favour of a health metric
- 3 in 5 women aged 18–29 have felt increased pressure to change their bodies in the last 12 months due to social media
“This campaign arrives at a moment of significant cultural shift. We’re seeing a growing backlash against optimisation culture — evidenced by the viral response to Steven Bartlett’s wine confession. It signals that, as a society, we are exhausted by the pressure to chase an unrealistic standard of health. One that is costing us our social lives, our mental wellbeing and our relationship with ourselves,” KIC’s CEO, Janey Martino.
KIC said in a release that ‘Progress. Not Perfection.’ is not a new direction — it has always been part of our brand DNA.
And now, with our own research painting a confronting picture of what optimisation culture is actually doing to women, it has never been more important to say it loudly.
‘The Progress. Not Perfection.’ campaign launched across all KIC channels from 14 July, anchored by a hero video that directly satirises the impossible standards of modern wellness culture — from 4:30am alarms and celery juice to HRV tracking and circadian rhythm optimisation — before landing on KIC’s simple, enduring truth: progress. Not perfection.
A mid-year sale runs concurrently with the campaign.
Credits
Producer Chris King
Photography: Marten Ascenzo
DOP: Benjamin Guy
Gaffer: Liam Harrington
Talent: Sarah Davidson, Steph Claire Smith & Laura Henshaw
Head of Marketing (Brand & Campaign): Tess Drobik
