Planet Fitness’ ongoing initiative, called Judgement Free GenerationTM, has been running since March. It’s part of the chain’s larger movement to fight bullying and promote, as the name implies, a judgment-free generation where people respect differences and value kindness. Planet Fitness does this through raising funds for its charity partners, and investing in tools and resources to fight the bullying epidemic.
I wanted to look more into this campaign’s effect on current and potential Planet Fitness members:
Some very interesting stuff going on here! Immediately, you can see that the vast majority of folks have not heard of this initiative. A further 29% say that this initiative has not changed their likelihood to join. However, there’s good news.
How Can Planet Fitness Convince the Unconvinced?
From what I’ve found, there are several opportunities that could help Planet Fitness win over these the folks who say this campaign has not changed their likelihood to join.
Food – this group is more likely than the others to favor restaurants with high quality ingredients, and to buy locally-grown food. So, further advertising in these sorts of restaurants, and even farmers’ markets, may grab their attention.
Location – this group is more likely to live in the US Northeast. Though Yankees are more likely to have heard of the initiative, it seems they’re still unconvinced to join. Focusing efforts on aligning advertising and promotion in this region with what these folks want may prove beneficial.
And what do they care about, exactly?
Football – the unconvinced folks are more likely to follow the NFL. So, bringing a football star on board to promote this kind initiative may provide the necessary ethos to bring these fans on board. Advertising the Judgement Free GenerationTM on NFL networks may prove useful as well.
Netflix – this segment is more likely to watch Netflix. The online streaming platform could provide a useful avenue to advertise and promote the gym’s socially-conscious work.
And last but not least…
Charity – this group is more likely to donate to educational charities. If this group knew that the Planet Fitness Initiative has paired with Boys and Girls Clubs of America, maybe they would be more likely to change their minds. Though Planet Fitness has highlighted this partnership, it may be something to experiment with more strongly.
How Can Planet Fitness Spread the Word?
The biggest challenge Planet Fitness seems to face is that the majority of people (59%) haven’t heard about this movement. What do members of this group have in common that Planet Fitness can cater to in order to spread the word?
Age – the biggest correlation we found is that those who haven’t heard of this initiative are more likely to be 55 or older. However, if they knew about this initiative, they could present major opportunity. Given that they are older and are more likely to have grandchildren, the issue of bullying would presumably be near to their hearts. If they were aware of this initiative, they may be more likely to join.
TV – These older folks are likely to be influenced by ads on TV. Running advertisements on TV, like one I saw just last week, may be effective. To read way more in depth about recent advertising and news findings that apply to this group, check out our recent blog post.
Location – This group is more likely to live in the US West, which makes sense, as Planet Fitness locations seem to be less dense in this region. Promoting the movement throughout the West may help Planet Fitness educate even more people about its philanthropic mission.
Social Consciousness – Looking into our data, I found that 30% of these folks consider a company’s social conscious very important when deciding where to shop and what to buy, and 40% consider it somewhat important. So, if these folks were aware of Planet Fitness’ goal, it’s safe to assume that at least some of them would like to get involved.
Stomp Out Bullying
Bias alert — I love this initiative. Articles suggest that bullying is still a major problem in schools, especially after the election. Planet Fitness is standing up for kids, and even donated 100% of new membership proceeds a few weeks ago to fighting the bullying epidemic. No one should feel judged, inside or outside of the gym, and this new movement strives to make that ideal a reality.
Though I’m sad to say I’ve already joined a new gym fairly recently, and am not quite ready to pay a fee to leave, Planet Fitness definitely could have brought me in with this initiative otherwise.
Two words: Kashi and Toyotas – find out what we mean. Check out our fascinating insights into the traits of early morning fitness fanatics and their counterpart – the gym night owls.
