Canadian health club chain GoodLife Fitness, London, Ontario, has launched a new marketing campaign that features real people rather than models in a bid to reclaim fitness for everyone, the company said.
GoodLife, which has more than 200 clubs, 900,000 members and 10,000 employees, launched a nationwide casting call that generated close to 3,000 applications before choosing the people it will spotlight as “fitfluencers” in the campaign that launched in late October.
"With this campaign, GoodLife Fitness is reclaiming fitness for everyone,” said GoodLife Fitness COO Jason Sheridan. “Fitness isn't only represented by a perfect six-pack or how many followers you have. It's about getting up and showing up. We're celebrating the people who show up and put in the work to be active and then share that experience with people around them. It's the positive feeling you get when you take care of yourself and connect with others so they can feel the same way. That's where the magic is."
One of the people featured in the first phase of the campaign is Michael Gatchalian of Toronto, who is a GoodLife employee. He discovered fitness 10 years ago and has been teaching group fitness classes for eight years. For him, fitness is about feelings of accomplishment, happiness and connection with the people around him at the gym, he said in the announcement about the campaign.
"It's doing something for yourself and enjoying how it feels,” he said. “It's an experience you want to share with others. I'm not the stereotypical instructor that has a toned and chiseled body. I'm working through the same challenges that a lot of people are going through. I'm just a regular husband and father living an everyday life, but I can say that I am the fittest and healthiest that I have ever been in my entire life."
As part of the creative, GoodLife 'fitfluencers' are captured in moments that depict their love of fitness. Each image features the signature of the member or employee, a symbol of their unique qualities as real-life fitfluencers.
The creative for the campaign is a new direction for GoodLife Fitness brand imagery. GoodLife Fitness worked with its creative agency GUT Toronto to choose colors, music and design elements that convey the dynamic energy of fitness and celebrate the human element. The campaign centers around images by Toronto-based photographer and director Matt Barnes, known for his artistic depiction of prominent brands and personalities captured in unique moments as if they are on a stage.
Olivia Podscianski is another fitfluencer who is featured. The 23-year-old prison nurse from Kingston has been running and strength training for five years. She picked up fitness to lose weight naturally and feel better after she reached 303 lbs.
"I love weight lifting and running, which I still can't believe I can actually say,” she said. “Building up my fitness over the last few years has been the best decision of my life. I can fit on any roller coaster, run 25+ km, fit in clothes from any store, walk up the stairs, and most importantly feel confident and healthy... something I've never felt in my lifetime until about the last year or so."
In addition to Gatchalian and Podscianski, GoodLife's ad campaign features other fitfluencers of all ages and backgrounds with meaningful stories about the way fitness has improved their lives and how they have helped others connect with physical activity. GoodLife plans to create additional content featuring more real life fitfluencers in the months to come.
"Coming into the gym can be a daunting experience and all it takes is a warm smile and some caring words to make the transition into this new world a welcoming and rewarding one. I believe that everybody and every body should feel welcome as they walk into the gym," Gatchalian said.
The campaign will run from now until early 2023, and includes a TV ad that debunks the usual fitfluencer elements and celebrates the best parts of fitness for everyone. The campaign also includes out-of-home, digital and social media.