Client Case Study:  Bally Total Fitness

Health and Fitness

Client: 
Bally Total Fitness (BTF) is the largest and only nationwide commercial operator of fitness centers in the United States with over 4 million members and hundreds of clubs across the United States and Canada.  www.ballys.com

Challenge:
BTF is a well-known national brand name in the fitness industry.  However in local markets, BTF has poor brand image and community outreach.  BTF wanted to enhance its image market to market while building credibility for its gyms and staff. 

Action:
Trovada Davis PR had intimate knowledge about the fitness industry and had worked on such projects as Buns of Steel, Kathy Smith Fitness and Fabio Fitness.   Trovada Davis PR proposed a strategic public relations program built around new club grand openings and BTF’s direct response television national advertising campaign.  The goal was to help build credibility and increase walk-in traffic at the club level.  Trovada Davis worked in developing BTF’s key messages and value propositions and implemented national and regional press relations.  Trovada Davis also leveraged BTF’s celebrity spokes personalities such as Gabrielle Reese, Sofia Vergara, and Baywatch stars by setting up celebrity interviews with local media, give-away luncheons with local Planet Hollywood establishments and placed instructional exercise programs in local and national media outlets.

Results:
BTF increased brand visibility and credibility locally and nationally through publicity hits in such media as Shape, Health & Fitness, San Antonio Express News, Seattle Times and Dallas Morning News, as well as regional and national television and radio programs.  The program was such a success that the grand openings of the new clubs beat expected sales projections and set new standards for club sales.