Integrated Promotional Advertising Campaign

Premier needed a fresh approach to drive traffic to their clubs for the upcoming season.

Cyclone developed a multi-faceted advertising campaign with a promotional offer utilizing T.V, radio, direct mail and newspaper. The overall campaign generated 13,500 new members (a 38% increase over the previous year), making it the most successful new-member drive in Premiere’s history

Client

Premiere Fitness is a leader in the full-service, luxury fitness club sector with 47 locations across Southern Ontario and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

Discovery

Premiere has a base of 175,000 registered members but only 10-15% use Premiere's facilities on a regular basis, leading to a high turnover rate. The peak season for new member acquisitions is January-March when consumers are most likely to act on New Year's resolutions surrounding their health or are anxious to get into "swimsuit shape" for their southern cruise and beach vacations. Typically in early January each year, prospects are inundated with offers from competing fitness club operators trying capitalize on these opportunities.

Analysis

The demographic most interested in healthy living and best able to afford a club membership is couples, ages 35-50. Must-haves for this demographic are structured programs; clean facilities; and modern equipment. Active members are most likely to renew their memberships say they prefer to work out with a partner.

Strategy

To make Premiere Fitness stand out from the competition during the prime membership acquisition season, and to reach out to more prospective long-term members, Cyclone Creative proposed a unique offer: free, 30-day Gold Membership cards for two, valid at any Premiere club. Cards were distributed via direct mail in each club's market area. The offer was supported with television and radio ads, outdoor advertising along Toronto's heavily travelled Gardiner Expressway and open-house events featuring players and celebrities from the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and the CFL's Hamilton Tiger-Cats at various Premiere locations.

Outcome

• During the course of the campaign, nearly 30,000 consumers took advantage of the Premiere Fitness offer.
• 13,500 consumers were converted to full memberships at the end of their 30-day trials, making this the most successful new-member drive in the company's history.