Planet Fitness "#BATTLEGYM" (2015) 1:30( USA)

Here's a timely nod to The Hunger Games featuring what it's like to walk into one of those meathead gyms vs. Planet Fitness. Great casting. "Sometimes I roll around on the ball thingy," is the most accurate description I've heard. This spot which is part of a larger campaign, is airing in cinemas before all PG-13 rated films. I do love the Planet Fitness strategy to set itself apart from places like Gold's Gym for the hardcore, or Equinox where you can only get in if you're sexy enough. Considering all gyms are the same, we're dealing with a parity product, so anything to differentiate will help.

Client: Planet Fitness
Agency: RED TETTEMER O’CONNELL + PARTNERS
Chief Creative Officer: Steve Red
Executive Creative Director: Steve O’Connell
Creative Director: Ari Garber
Associate Creative Director: Mark Garman
Senior Art Director: Jeremy Gilberto
Copywriter: Jordan Breindel
Producer: Joe Mosca
Social Strategy: Jenny Marder
Digital Strategy: Uri Weingarten
Account Executive(s): Jamie Thomas, Chelsea Dubin

Adland® is supported by your donations alone. You can help us out by buying us a Ko-Fi coffee.
Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
comment_node_story
Files must be less than 1 MB.
Allowed file types: jpg jpeg gif png wav avi mpeg mpg mov rm flv wmv 3gp mp4 m4v.
David Felton's picture

Sorry KS, but I'm going to have to disagree here. Saying "all gyms are the same" is like saying "all restaurants are the same". There are a lot of differences. Atmosphere, lighting, staff, classes, the people who go, the range of equipment, the layout, the location. That kind of statement is reductive in the extreme. When I join a gym I buy into a range of factors, featuring and considering all of the above.

Moving on to the ad itself, I really love it as a piece of deceptive communication. The ad is great - entertaining and creative. However the message is insulting to any regular gym goer. Those 'lunks' as we both know work hard for their body. In addition - most gyms are friendly places where the muscled regulars are more than happy to lend a hand and help you with beginner questions and advice. Ads like these (again, while I love it as a piece of creative communication), are inherently deceptive and perpetuate a stupid stereotype that experience proves untrue.

Finally $10 a month! Wow, sign me up. But wait a min...

Home club only. Annual membership fee applies. Participating locations only. State and local taxes may apply.

So not only is the premise deceptive and stupid, the offer itself is a lie.

Basically I think the ad is great, but I find the product they are selling utterly disreputable. Also I have read stories and Planet Fitness like you wouldn't believe. Like when people die and they refuse to cancel the DEAD PERSON'S gym contract. They really are scumbags.

kidsleepy's picture

"Basically I think the ad is great, but I find the product they are selling utterly disreputable. Also I have read stories and Planet Fitness like you wouldn't believe. Like when people die and they refuse to cancel the DEAD PERSON'S gym contract. They really are scumbags."

Exactly. That's part of what I meant by all gyms are the same. They all offer the same services, and they all offer hidden fees and clauses in contracts that are impossible to get out of.

David Felton's picture

I was a member of a pretty awesome gym in London, and when I left to live in another country it didn't cost me anything to cancel my membership. So take that!
http://thehivelondon.com/index.php/fitness-centre-edgware

kidsleepy's picture

There's one example.

Dabitch's picture

Hunger games reference, funny.