 |
|
|
 |
26 Jan 2023
Fitness First UK’s Red Monday campaign bags a thousand new members with 'burn off your bills' energy prize
BY
Frances Marcellin
|
Fitness First's Red January campaign brought non-members, friends and family in to clubs and resulted in 1,000 new sign-ups
photo: Pixel-Shot / Shutterstock
Fitness First’s annual Red Monday campaign, which ran across the UK on 16 January 2023, increased visits by a third and resulted in sign ups from a thousand new members. Usually member attendances during January are 13,000 a day, on average, across all 39 clubs, but Red Monday brought in 17,885 – a 32 per cent increase.
The fitness chain has run a Red Monday campaign for the last ten years on the third Monday in January, to motivate members and expand its consumer base.
Residential clubs, such as St Albans, Bedford and Milton Keynes, reported an attendance increase of 17 per cent on the day. However, it was the chain’s city-based clubs – which had been hit hard by falling member numbers due to the pandemic – that benefited the most. Red Monday saw 5,000 city club visits, which was a 78 per cent increase in performance compared to the same day last year (Monday 17 January, 2022).
“We're delighted by the impact of this year’s campaign and the results from our city-based clubs are particularly promising for our continued post-pandemic recovery,” Fitness First’s head of marketing, Anne-Laure Kujawski, told HCM.
“Like many businesses, the state of the economy and the soaring cost of all areas of life is having an impact on our customer base, however, we recognise that as a fitness operator, we're in a position to offer an antidote to the mental strain that many are feeling at the moment.”
Blue Monday is widely considered to be the most depressing day of the year. It was first named in a press release by UK travel company Sky Travel. It is considered to be the moment, following the Christmas break, where people are back at work and suffering from a low mood, perhaps in part due to failing new year’s resolutions, while the weather is cold and finances are tight. The latter may ring true more than usual for many at the moment as the cost-of-living and energy crises continue.
Fitness First’s Red Monday campaign was designed to counteract Blue Monday and so enticing people back into clubs was key. Non-members, members and their family and friends (on complimentary passes) were invited to try the gym and spa, take part in classes and compete in the six-minute AMRAP challenge – a nationwide leaderboard keeps track of which members complete the most number of rounds. Fitness First also brought in DJs to some clubs and held tastings with partners such as Huel to enhance the community and social aspect.
“The aim of our annual Red Monday campaign is to provide all with access to facilities to improve their physical and mental health without worrying about financial barriers,” said Kujawski. “This year we wanted to supplement this further by offering customers the chance to have their energy bills paid for by Fitness First.”
As part of a 'burn off your bills' incentive, anyone who visited a Fitness First gym on Red Monday was automatically entered into a prize draw to win £300 – paid by bank transfer – that could be used to cover energy bills. Out of 17,885 entries, five winners will be picked and announced on 31 January 2023.
To encourage sign-ups, the company confirmed it ran a promotion that offered two months’ membership at half price. Online there is also a promotion running where the first month – at any club – is £10. Fees vary greatly depending on the club and location – from £27 per month at Ilford (which allows access to that club only) to £109 at London’s Baker St (top of a sliding scale, where members can visit all clubs).
Overall, clubs saw an increase in attendance of six per cent compared to the previous Monday. “Most importantly,” added Kujawski, “we hope that this year’s initiative helped customers to enhance their health and combat the January blues.”
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Connect with
Sport Parks Leisure |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| News headlines |
|
|
 |
 |
|
02 May 2024
Active Oxfordshire has received £1.3 million to tackle inactivity and inequality and launch a new programme for children. The funding has come from
.... more>> |
|
|
|
 |
|
02 May 2024
Consultancy and change architects, Miova, have welcomed industry veteran Mark Tweedie on board. Tweedie had most recently headed up Brimham’s
.... more>> |
|
|
|
 |
|
26 Apr 2024
While British adults are the most active they’ve been in a decade, health inequalities remain with the same groups missing out, according to Sport
.... more>> |
|
|
|
 |
|
24 Apr 2024
Short-term incentives to exercise, such as using daily reminders, rewards or games, can lead to sustained increases in activity, according to new
.... more>> |
|
|
|
 |
|
21 Apr 2024
Charitable trust, Mytime Active, has removed all single-use plastic overshoes from its swimming pools and leisure centres, as part of ongoing
.... more>> |
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
| Company profile |
|
Pulse Fitness
With an award-winning portfolio of over 450 pieces of cutting-edge, premium fitness equipment, Pulse Fitness is unique in its position as the only company to research, design, develop and build technologically advanced equipment in the UK.
View full profile>> |
|
| Catalogue gallery |
|
|
| Featured Supplier |
|
 |
|
|
|
in this issue
• Virgin gets right to wipe out rent arrears
• Fitness industry mourns passing of Jan Spaticchia
• STA offers mindfulness resources
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Latest jobs |
 |
Duty Manager
Salary: Competitive
Location: Middlesbrough
Company: Everyone Active
|
|
Duty Manager Golf and Athletics
Salary: £30,027pa + non-contrib pension + benefits
Location: Stockwood Park Golf Club, London Road, Luton, UK
Company: Active Luton
|
|
Leisure Centre Duty Manager
Salary: £24,687.57pa + pension + health care + benefits
Location: Uppingham, Oakham, UK
Company: Uppingham School
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Diary dates |
|
| Powered
by leisurediary.com |
 |
|
|
|
|
