Planet Fitness Flexes Its Marketing Muscle -- Names Publicis Groupe as New Agency of Record

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Sep 01, 2021, 08:00 ET

HAMPTON, N.H., Sept. 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Planet Fitness, Inc. (NYSE: PLNT), one of the largest and fastest-growing global franchisors and operators of fitness centers with more members than any other fitness brand, today announced it has selected a newly formed unit within Publicis Groupe – a global communications leader and the number one media buyer in the U.S. – as its new agency of record following a strategic competitive review.

Team Lift, a bespoke agency solution, was created specifically for Planet Fitness to support marketing strategy, centralized data and analytics, media planning and buying, creative, and brand partnerships. As the Company consolidates and integrates its national and local marketing efforts to one agency solution for the first time, this partnership will drive further efficiencies, optimization, increasingly personalized communications; and will enable Planet Fitness to fully leverage its size and scale advantage, accelerate its marketing flywheel, fuel member growth and drive brand strength and leadership.

"We are grateful to all of the impressive agencies that participated in a very competitive review process, and appreciate the hard work, creativity and passion their teams demonstrated for our business," said Jeremy Tucker, chief marketing officer at Planet Fitness. "As an industry leader and a top U.S. advertising spender, we are thrilled to welcome Publicis Groupe into the Planet Fitness family as our new agency of record."

Tucker continued, "Their scale, market-leading capabilities, data-driven approach, industry knowledge, and strong culture fit, paired with a customized approach, brings the absolute best of what Publicis Groupe has to offer and will drive a significant competitive advantage for our brand. By centralizing our marketing spend from 16 agencies to Publicis Groupe, we estimate delivering 20 percent more efficiency across our marketing spend, resulting in a minimum of $40 million in incremental media investment in the first year alone. As we look to evolve and modernize our marketing to serve the needs of our business today and into the future, Team Lift will enable us to deepen consumer engagement, introduce even more people to fitness, and ultimately enhance more lives with the power of the Judgement Free Zone."

"There has never been a more important time to make a positive impact on consumers' health and wellness," said Dave Penski, CEO of Publicis Media U.S. and Chairman of Publicis Media Exchange (PMX) Global. "Publicis Groupe is thrilled to innovate alongside Planet Fitness to find new ways to connect with their broad and growing customer base."

"We are thankful to Barkley for their national partnership with our brand over the past two and a half years. In that time, they served as a true extension of our internal marketing team, supporting our business at a time of pivotal growth, and we wish them much success in the future," Tucker continued. "In addition, we are also grateful to the local marketing agencies across the country who have supported our franchisees and helped them grow their businesses over the years."

Strategic advisory firm MediaLink, an Ascential company, oversaw the RFP process. This announcement comes after the Company recently reported a total membership of more than 15 million members through the end of July. Planet Fitness continues to be bullish on breaking down the barriers to health and wellness by providing a differentiated, judgement free fitness experience that's accessible and affordable for everyone. As the most well-known brand in the industry, Planet Fitness continues to rank #1 in unaided and aided brand awareness in the gym category.

About Planet Fitness

Founded in 1992 in Dover, NH, Planet Fitness is one of the largest and fastest-growing franchisors and operators of fitness centers in the United States by number of members and locations. As of June 30, 2021, Planet Fitness had more than 14.8 million members and 2,170 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Panama, Mexico and Australia. The Company's mission is to enhance people's lives by providing a high-quality fitness experience in a welcoming, non-intimidating environment, which we call the Judgement Free Zone^®. More than 95% of Planet Fitness stores are owned and operated by independent business men and women.

SOURCE Planet Fitness, Inc.