Can Gyms Grow Their Memberships Amid Vaccine Distribution?

When the pandemic upended life as we knew it, Planet Fitness got to work. On March 13, 2020, CMO Jeremy Tucker watched as the gym closed locations and decided he and his team couldn’t just wait for something to happen. By the end of that weekend, Planet Fitness created United We Move, an initiative offering free workouts for members on its app and across social platforms. “I realized the most important thing to do during this time was to keep people moving,” Tucker said. “And that brand vision and marketing vision, which permeates our entire company, helped lead us through this pandemic. So marketing started day one, ground zero.” Gyms and studios across the country have moved to virtual workouts over the past year. While many facilities have reopened, not everyone is comfortable with jumping back into in-person workouts. A recent Gartner study found that on a list of activities consumers are most looking forward to post-pandemic, only 11% selected exercising at a gym or fitness studio. Tim Barlow, director, industry analyst and advisory group at Gartner, said “cautious, guarded behavior” heading into mass vaccination efforts could very well change as time goes by. “It doesn’t mean that people won’t do it, but maybe just isn’t at the top of the list for a big swath of the population,” he said. A hybrid experience Before the pandemic, Jim Joseph, president of McCann Health North America, noticed that at-home fitness brands like Peloton and Mirror were becoming increasingly popular. It wasn’t until lockdown that he realized things might not go back to the way they were if people have an option to create hybrid gym experiences for themselves. “I think that will be a permanent shift in how people think about fitness,” he said. “Because it’s not just about being physically fit—it’s about mental well-being; it’s about overall wellness.” Joseph believes companies could end up prioritizing in-person experience by offering things like celebrity guest classes or free food and refreshments. Gym brands will switch their approaches to "[making] it worth your while to come in,” he said. Orangetheory Fitness currently has 90% of its locations open in the U.S., with some offering outdoor workout spaces. But members still have the option to work out on YouTube or through the Orangetheory Live program. The company is consistently surveying members on what they need and feel comfortable with as well. OF THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN OR PLAN TO GET VACCINATED… 50% said they would be more likely to purchase a gym membership if the gym engaged in more frequent cleaning procedures. 47% said they would be more likely to purchase a gym membership if the number of people allowed in the gym/exercise studio was limited. 44% said they would be more likely to purchase a gym membership if…Face masks were required; Temperature checks were required upon entrance; Access to gym equipment or space was limited to ensure social distancing. Source: Morning Consult “There’s a lot more options for a member—to give them more benefits from a workout standpoint, but also more options for [us] to meet them where they are from a comfort standpoint,” said CMO Kevin Keith. Physique 57, a fitness company focused on barre workouts, has had an on-demand platform since 2012 and added workouts on Instagram during the pandemic. Studios are gradually reopening, but CEO Jennifer Maanavi said nothing will change about how they approach a hybrid experience. “We’re continuing to cater to that model regardless of whether or not studios are open,” she said. Meanwhile, Planet Fitness, which once saw itself as a brick-and-mortar business, has shifted to viewing itself as more of a “bricks-and-clicks” company. “A new behavior has emerged, and it is conclusive,” Tucker said. “We have the ability to come back safely into our clubs and understand how this comes together in providing the open-handed approach to let the member decide, and be the brand that can be there to service their needs no matter how they want it.” The future of memberships Orangetheory currently tracks member workout habits through its OTbeat heart rate monitor and plans to continue member surveys to keep a pulse on what customers want. “At the end of the day, we’re driven by what’s effective, and we follow the CDC guidelines and we’re going to continue to do that,” Keith said. For Physique 57, Maanavi hopes members will continue to utilize both virtual workouts and in-person experiences long after the pandemic is over. “Women and men will surely go to the studio for the community and for the in-person experience, which cannot be replaced online,” she said. “However, just because you can’t get to the studio doesn’t mean you can’t work out.” As for Planet Fitness, it’s also ready to be with customers every step of the way, wherever they want to be. “Whatever our members want, however they want to give us business, that’s what we’re going to deliver to them and make sure that we’re part of it,” Tucker said.

Life After Lockdown

As Vaccinations Continue, Gyms Shift to Hybrid Models to Increase Membership Numbers

Planet Fitness, Orangetheory and Physique 57 are trying to meet users where they're comfortable

Tiffany Moustakas

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Tiffany Moustakas