The Longevity Label: Buzzword or Wellness Breakthrough?

May 27, 2025

The Longevity Label: Buzzword or Wellness Breakthrough?

As the wellness industry continues to expand, a new word is beginning to dominate its lexicon: longevity. Promising longer, healthier lives, the term is being adopted by brands keen to tap into consumer demand for well-being and vitality. But insiders are divided on whether longevity is here to stay—or just the latest marketing buzzword.

Anna Pione, a partner at McKinsey in New York, sees potential, but also pitfalls. “Where I think there is risk of a fad is in specific applications of what longevity means,” she says. “Right now, like wellness, it’s an extremely broad term. Will it be just as prevalent in a few years? That depends on whether consumers find real value in the products and services being offered.”

In the hospitality sector, longevity is seen as a growth opportunity. Yet some of the most high-profile players are approaching it cautiously, wary of overhyping a term that might soon be replaced by the next big trend.

At the Soho Health Club, part of the Soho House Group, the concept of longevity is subtly embedded into its wellness offerings, which include contrast therapy (such as ice baths and infrared saunas) and IV drips featuring NAD+ a coenzyme celebrated by celebrities for its supposed anti-aging effects. The club’s website describes the space as “designed to encourage performance and promote holistic wellness and longevity.”

But in practice, longevity isn’t top-of-mind for guests, says UK manager Thiago Alves. “I don’t necessarily have any member coming to me asking for longevity treatments,” he explains. “They’re more interested in health optimisation. They want to live longer and live better, but they want to enjoy the experience too. We use a range of language, but we don’t lean heavily on the word ‘longevity.’”

The Dorchester Collection is taking a similarly measured approach. Its newly revamped spa at Coworth Park incorporates elements of long-term wellness, but avoids overusing the term. Teresa O’Farrell, the group’s global head of wellness and spa, helped lead the redesign and says the focus remains on the broader concept of wellness. “We do talk about longevity, but we’re not using it as a buzzword,” she says. “Wellness is still the foundation, it’s the journey to longevity.”

As the industry navigates this evolving space, one question lingers: does longevity have longevity? The answer may rest not in clever branding, but in whether the concept can deliver results that go beyond the hype.

Consumers need to experience immediate benefits from longevity products. Few are willing to invest in something for decades without seeing any near-term payoff. To build trust and sustain engagement, these products must deliver short-term improvements—whether it’s more energy, better sleep, or enhanced focus—long before their long-term promises are realized.