Les Mills International (LMI) is one of the country’s biggest under-the-radar business success stories, and its fitness products can be found in more than 14,000 gyms in 80 countries. And to help keep in touch with them all—and reach some fairly ambitious goals for growth—it has appointed Contagion as its new global media social media partner, effective immediately.
LMI, which won the TVNZ-NZ Marketing export award for Sh’Bam and CX30 in 2011 and took out the Fairfax Media Supreme Award in 2009 for Bodyvive, is responsible for over three million workouts a week across the planet and has recently partnered with the biggest home workout producers in the critical USA market.
“Social media provides us with a fantastic opportunity to target and engage the millions of Les Mills addicts globally by giving us a much more dynamic, cost effective and measurable relationship, from right here in New Zealand,” says Andrew Young, global marketing director. “Contagion have proven global insight and experience, both creatively and strategically, and we’re really looking forward to creating an even stronger brand presence.”
Contagion’s Dean Taylor says the agency has had a good year and it’s ready to take on the long-term goal of getting to 20 million Les Mills workouts a week across the world.
Interestingly, much like the scenario with TVNZ, Contagion will be working alongside Colenso BBDO, which won LMI’s advertising account late last year.
Its work for LMI aims to support the company’s international expansion, with a particular focus on growing the US market, and touches on most disciplines, with a heavy business-to-business focus for a network of international instructors and health clubs, as well as consumer-facing communications.
“The fitness industry is highly competitive, so we need to show club owners and club members that our programmes deliver amazing results, based on innovation and ongoing creativity,” he said back in September. “Our brand is all about challenge and inspiration—that’s the magic of Les Mills that we need to showcase to the world.”
