Authenticity as a success factor: the long-term partnership with Eli Seitz
How genuine product use becomes a credible brand message
Target audience
Consumers
Services
Social media management, influencer management, content management, concept, contract management, data analysis
Timeline
2024 to today
Link
The challenge
How do you build an influencer partnership that does more than generate reach and actually delivers real credibility? The focus was on authentically connecting medical expertise and sports DNA in the everyday life of a top athlete.
Background
Eli Seitz is one of the most successful German gymnasts and has stood for performance, discipline and consistency in elite sport for years. At the same time her open manner and her social media presence make her a credible voice on recovery, injury prevention and health. After an ankle injury in 2023 she relied on the AchilloTrain from Bauerfeind, both in training and in competition. That existing product use was the starting point for us to approach her proactively and laid the groundwork for a genuinely authentic partnership.
The strategy
At the heart of the partnership is a credible recovery and performance story: from the injury through therapy to the return to competition. Together with Eli we developed a content strategy that makes exactly this journey visible, from using medical products during rehab through the move into training and on to performance with sports products in competition.
The partnership
Communication across channels:
The partnership was planned across channels from the start. Integrating it into both brand worlds, Medical and Sports, created joined-up communication that speaks to different audiences and shows the strength of the whole portfolio at the same time.
The result:
What began as simple product use grew into a full brand ambassador role: Eli became the face of the Medical channel and shapes the communication there. The content connects medical expertise with athletic performance. The storyline from injury back to strength can continue through every stage of life.
»Our goal was to build a partnership based on real conviction. With Eli Seitz we managed to weave our products authentically into her personal story, from the injury through rehab and back to performance. That credibility is what makes the difference and builds lasting trust in our brand.«
Vivien Gerbig,
Social Media Manager
How the partnership grew
Over time the partnership expanded organically: products like VenoTrain soft compression stockings found their place in the content mix around recovery, travel and competitions. When she announced her pregnancy in 2025, the partnership took on a new dimension. Eli added products like the compression tights and the Spinova Mum orthosis to her everyday routine and shared her experience openly and with genuine closeness to her community.
The takeaway
The partnership with Elisabeth Seitz is a prime example of our aim to build long-term, trusting relationships. Authenticity is the decisive success factor here: only when influencers really use the products and stand behind the brand does credible content emerge that works in the long term and builds trust. By closely linking the channels @bauerfeindmedical and @bauerfeindsports and by connecting the medical and sports portfolios, we managed to tell one complete brand story and position Bauerfeind as a strong partner in every situation in life.
