S1E2 of This Modern Brand features Barkley’s Chief Growth Officer Jason Parks and SVP Brand Leadership Julie Barr delving into the “Judgement-Free Zone” with Jamie Medeiros, Chief Brand Officer at Planet Fitness. Jamie breaks down Planet Fitness’ red thread, the importance of “Making your own Super Bowl,” and the brand’s 2024 campaign featuring Grammy award-winning rapper Megan Thee Stallion as “Mother Fitness.”
Plus, Dave Gutting weighs in with a special brand battle featuring fitness juggernauts Planet Fitness vs. Peloton.
Jason Parks:
Megan Thee Stallion isn't physically in the room with us, but Mother Fitness is here in spirit. This is going to make more sense in a minute, I promise. You're listening to This Modern Brand, the podcast where we pull the curtain back on some of America's most influential brands to break down their strategies, values, and innovations, finding takeaways for everyday marketers like you. I'm your host, Jason Parks, Chief Growth Officer at Barkley. A few decades of working in the advertising industry has given me a front-row seat to the evolution of our business, and it's always an interesting conversation. Speaking of interesting conversations, joining me today is Julie Barr, SVP of brand leadership. She's one of the brilliant minds of Barkley steering the ship for our Planet Fitness account.
Julie Barr:
Hey there. So yeah, our team has been super busy partnering with the Planet Fitness team to launch their biggest campaign of the year, the big fitness energy sale. And you've probably guessed it by now, dropped many hints, this is featuring America's OG hot girl, Megan Thee Stallion.
<Planet Fitness commercial spot plays>
Julie Barr:
I mean, iconic, right?
Jason Parks:
It is, and so is the woman at the helm of this campaign, Jamie Medeiros, Chief Brand Officer of Planet Fitness. Today, we are privileged to go behind the scenes of this work with Jamie. We will dig deeper with her on Planet Fitness's red thread, making your own Super Bowl, and Jamie's inspiring journey to the top of her field. I hope you enjoy it. So first, Jamie, I wanted to talk about you and your journey at Planet Fitness because it's pretty amazing and unique that ... I mean, you started at the front desk, and now you've risen to the ranks of Chief Brand Officer. Talk to us about that amazing journey.
Jamie Medeiros:
You're right; I've been with Planet Fitness for quite a long time. I started at the front desk at our Concord, New Hampshire location in New Year 2000. So it's been some time, and one of the things that has kept me here is our mission being the judgment-free zone and making fitness affordable, but when I joined that strategy, that vision was really coming together. We had four clubs in New Hampshire, and we were really testing things out, testing the waters, figuring out what worked and what didn't. We started franchising in 2003, and when I came on board, I was the sole member of the marketing team. We did a lot of radio and direct mail, and we've evolved since then into really integrated campaigns, making digital a priority. But our mission has stayed the same: to make fitness affordable and accessible to people. So it's something that's been an amazing journey and something that I'm super passionate about.
Julie Barr:
That's crazy. It's an incredible journey you've taken, and I might dig in there as we think about the judgment-free zone. At Barkley, as you know, our process is rooted in the idea that you must start by finding and declaring that brand idea at the center to build whole brands. That's what we call the Red Thread. The red thread guides inspires, and connects every action a whole brand takes, from marketing to business ideas. So, talk to us briefly about Planet Fitness as Red Thread and how you believe it permeates the organization.
Jamie Medeiros:
The amazing thing about Planet Fitness is that we have a purpose-driven approach to our brand, and the great thing about working with the Barclay team is that you all do as well. And so as we started working together, really understanding how to think about the Red Thread and how to pull that all through ... And so as we think about what we were founded upon, we're really looking at that, not changing it, but modernizing it. And so if we think about making fitness attainable and looking at some of the trends, whether with younger audiences or Gen Z, this idea of instantaneous demand and the fact that things are at everyone's fingertips.
And so if we think about how fitness can help fill that, we think about when you work out, you feel good. And so when we put our work together and brief in our agencies, Barkley and others, we brief in with this idea of creating instant fitness fields. And so as we look at how we communicate to the consumer, we're really thinking about that from not only the lens of advertising but also how that can inform our in-Club experience or how that can inform how we show up digitally. And so working with that mindset has really helped our organization hone in on how we're going to go to market and being very consistent, again, not just in our advertising, but throughout the whole consumer journey and the member journey.
Jason Parks:
That's great. I had the pleasure back in October of watching you and our chief creative officer, Katie Hornaday, on the main stage at the ANA Masters of Marketing. And since it is January and we're coming upon that time of the year when we enjoy football and the Super Bowl, one of those five lessons you mentioned was that you can make your own Super Bowl. Can you talk to us a little bit more about that idea?
Jamie Medeiros:
Absolutely. Katy and I had the best time. It is such a dream to present with her. She's so amazing. And we did talk about creating your own Super Bowl, and one of the things that Planet Fitness, I think does really well is understand where we want to show up at certain times of the year and how we will attract certain audiences. So, one of the ways that we create our own Super Bowl is through our program with New Year's Eve. And it's such an important time of year for us as it is for most brands and businesses in the fitness industry. And as we think about owning an event or a night, we have been able to do that through our partnership with Dick Clark Productions with Times Square Alliance. Those entities allow us to be great partners but show up in every broadcast essentially for New Year's Eve, driving the awareness before the really critical January timeframe, and we've been able to do that successfully for nine years now.
The other thing that is really interesting for us, and it's a bit different, but it really targets a key audience for us, is Gen Z, our program that we launch every summer called High School Summer Path, and we've been able to create this program and really get a lot of buzz around it. So it's a little bit different than a singular night and something that kicks off a key time of year, but something that the brand has created and been able to welcome in millions and millions of teens every summer, introduce them to the brand, and allow them to make fitness a part of their life really early on in their journey.
Julie Barr:
Yes, I love that. I love New Year's Eve, and The High School Summer Pass are such great programs. So, let's dive into New Year's 24 for a second. Planet Fitness launched a campaign with Megan Thee Stallion around big fitness energy for all. Can you tell us a little about how that connects to the Red Thread you previously talked about and what excites you most about this campaign?
Jamie Medeiros:
Yeah, absolutely. We are huge fans over here of Megan Thee Stallion and know how much she prioritizes fitness, not only the physical but also the mental aspect of that. And so, as we were conversing with her, we thought there was no better person to represent us than Megan. And we've been able to weave in this idea of breaking down the barriers and allowing Megan to come to life as Mother Fitness and really rescuing people from some of the unfortunate environments that they're in created by a very intimidating industry and how Planet Fitness, the judgment-free zone is the solution to that.
She does that in her own way and allows us to talk about our brand message, allowing her to be her amazing self and really help us at a critical time of the year. And marrying this idea of energy and music and her authentic personality really allowed this campaign to come to life. We've been able to not only execute traditional advertising but it's come to life in social and in our local markets, as well as a New Year's Eve performance from the Planet Fitness stage in Times Square, which was really special for us to see her bring to life some of her amazing tracks and some of her new tracks. So, it's been a great partnership so far. We just launched it and can't wait to do more.
Jason Parks:
No, that's great. I've got one final question: all the marketers out there listening would love to see if you could provide them some inspiration because it is such an inspirational story, what you've done at Planet Fitness. And I'd love it if you could talk just a bit about your super fans, what they love most about your brand, and how you plan to build on that in 2024.
Jamie Medeiros:
It's a great question, and I believe this idea of the environment keeps people coming to Planet Fitness and returning to Planet Fitness if they've taken a break. And we talked a bit about this at the beginning, how we really value the judgment free zone and welcoming people in. We often hear that Planet Fitness is where people feel comfortable, whether joining a gym for the first time or returning to fitness after a bit of a break. It's something we ensure is communicated in all of our advertising.
And so, throughout this year and many years to come, really looking at ways we can further break down the barriers to fitness. So whether that's affordability or whether that's location or that's something that we can provide in the club to bring more people into our brand, it's something that we talk about every single day is at the heart of every single meeting that we're in. And it's something that has been a part of the brand since day one, and it's going to continue to be, and it's something that the members value beyond price. So it's something that everyone in this building at PFHQ is super passionate about and something that's really going to drive the work as we go forward.
Julie Barr:
That is awesome. That's a little bit of inspiration. Everyone's focusing right now. It's January, so resolutions are the season, right? As you look to 2024, you've accomplished so much, returning to the podcast's beginning since your start. So, as you look to 2024, do you have any personal goals as you look forward to this year?
Jamie Medeiros:
Yes, A lot of personal and professional goals, and I'm still very motivated to make sure we, as Planet Fitness, achieve them, and I achieve them as a professional. But one of the things that we're really challenging each other on is this idea of taking risks, showing up in unique places, and talking about the brand in a unique way. Launching with Megan Thee Stallion in January is definitely one of those things. We know she is a great brand fit, but we did it in a really fun, unique way that we've never done before, and we're able to integrate her and her belief into how authentic that fits with Planet Fitness. And so we really want to challenge ourselves to take more risks in 2024 and into 2025 to show up in unique places, show up with unique partners, and bring more people into fitness, which is our ultimate goal.
Julie Barr:
Agree. Do you think Megan was a risk?
Jamie Medeiros:
A calculated one, absolutely.
Julie Barr:
I love that. I love that so much. Is there any advice on how you would tell a marketer to take a risk? How do you go about a calculated risk?
Jamie Medeiros:
Oh, Julie, great question. So I think understanding the why behind it, and if you can justify how that fits with your brand and your strategy, then go for it. And if you're not taking risks and things don't make you nervous, then you're not doing your job. And it's sometimes hard to wrap your head around, but we're pushing ourselves to do that more so than ever. We're a risk-taking brand, but how we can show up differently is always our challenge.
Julie Barr:
Totally agree. If you're not getting a little nervous, I think you've gotten too comfortable, so I totally agree with you. We should always take risks and feel a little nervous about our actions.
Jamie Medeiros:
Yeah, absolutely.
Julie Barr:
We appreciate having you today and thank you so much for taking the time, Jamie.
Jamie Medeiros:
Oh, it was a pleasure. I always love talking to my friends at Barkley. Thank you for having me.
Julie Barr:
Thank you.
Jason Parks:
This is the part of the podcast we call brand battles, where we pit two brands against each other, score them on a performance framework we call the Whole Brand Index, and declare one of them a winner in the marketplace. This week, Planet Fitness faces Peloton, two of the most influential brands in the fitness category. Our chief provocateur and creator of the Whole Brand Index, Dave Gutting, breaks it down for us.
Dave Gutting:
In this brand battle episode, we visit a strenuous face-off between two seasoned contenders in the fitness category, Planet Fitness versus Peloton. Of course, these two brands approach the category from two different directions. Peloton is all about curating and amplifying the fitness experience, on-trend affluent millennials [inaudible 00:15:28] to success. On the other hand, Planet Fitness, the brand for the other 80%, just shows up daily with a dedicated mission to free gym-goers from the oppression of fitness rules. And for that, Planet Fitness keeps on winning.
No other gym brand save 24 Hour Fitness comes close to them, but Peloton does. It's like Ali versus Frazier, two heavyweights slugging it out round after round. The technical scorecard looks like an even match, but in the end, Planet Fitness is Ali, and by the fourth 15th round, they've worn out their opponent. In our scoring, the two brands are head-to-head on the five dimensions of the Whole Brand Index, with just three tiny decimal points favoring Peloton. But in the marketplace outcomes, Planet Fitness has their opponent on the ropes by a score of 44 to 35, a bit more than 25% better.
What gives here? Both brands get a lift from having a strong sense of purpose and mission in the eyes of consumers. On our overall brand dimensions, it's a virtual draw, but when it comes to overall market performance, our regression model shows that Planet Fitness is a consistent over-performer, while Peloton underperforms. That could be statistical noise, but it's been a persistent trend. While Peloton is formidable, Planet Fitness outscores them with several important random dimensions, including workforce support, ease of access, and design distinction.
In marketplace results, they also win on willingness to pay more on brand buzz and a steady increase in usage. That may seem counterintuitive because Peloton is such an it brand, but Planet Fitness shows up every day, never lays back, and just wears them down over the long haul. Now there's talk that their biggest threat is, wait for it, Ozempic. I don't think so. My money in the long game stays with Planet Fitness.
Jason Parks:
So Planet Fitness wins on accessibility, purpose and the knack for distinction. I promise no extra love was given to our client, but we are proud of their victory in this week's brand battle. Well, that wraps up our episode of This Modern Brand, a podcast by Barkley.
We hope you guys enjoyed it. If you did, leave us a review on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or Amazon Music. For more stories and insights on building brands people love, visit barkleyus.com. I'm Jason Parks. Thanks for listening.
For more stories and insights on building brands people love, visit barkleyus.com.
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For a thorough evaluation to help your brand build its biggest future, contact our Chief Growth Officer, Jason Parks, at jparks@barkleyus.com.
