Bloggers engaged to create alternative to booze-filled hen weekend

Fitness and lifestyle bloggers have helped hen night specialist Maximise create active London weekend city product to meet increasing demand.

Fitness and lifestyle bloggers have helped hen night specialist Maximise create active London weekend city product to meet increasing demand.

Maximise says it has seen demand for active and adventure activities surge by 130% in the first three months of 2014.

In response five bloggers were put together with specialisms in fitness, fashion and outdoor adventure for form an ‘Active Hen’ team.

Josie Kerr, hen product executive at Maximise, said: “We are seeing more and more women looking for alternatives to the typical booze-fuelled party weekends.

“Hens are asking for energetic, high adrenaline activities that are traditionally associated with stags. 

“The challenge comes in finding a weekend that appeals to all women in the group as usually you’ll have mixed ages, preferences and fitness levels, and still includes all the finishing touches that will delight the bride and make for a memorable weekend.

“It was also important to keep the package affordable and centrally located, which is why we wanted to explore London’s trendy fitness scene.”

The Active Hen Project kicked-off with an idea generation session in April, where the team used their own girls night out and hen party experiences, along with their inside-knowledge on London health and fitness trends, to brainstorm ideas and shape the package.

Maximise’s product team gave themselves just six weeks to use this insight to pull together the new package, a process which involved sourcing new activity suppliers, transport and accommodation options.

Kerr added: “The advantage of working with bloggers is that we not only gain insight from their own experiences but also from their readers and followers.

“By encouraging the girls to be transparent about the collaboration process on their blogs, we have benefitted from hearing the thoughts and ideas of an even wider pool of women.”

The Active Hen Weekend package includes the following:
 
• Two nights’ accommodation in a luxury London apartment with city views
• Personal chef and sushi making in the apartment  (Friday evening)
• Personal Yoga teacher and class in the apartment (Saturday morning) or Stand Up Paddle boarding
• Old Sports Day Games on London park – egg and spoon race, three-legged race, giant sack race, welly wagging (Saturday afternoon)
• Salsa class and dinner
• Optional extras – hen hamper and personal name-printed onesies