Mobile website informs customers, moves advertising

Fitness First, Australia’s largest chain of health clubs, now offers members access to gym and class information from their mobile phones through a website developed especially for mobiles. This service also allows car manufacturer Hyundai to target Fitness First members through their mobiles.

The site was developed with the dual purpose of providing a new service to members while creating an advertising platform for car manufacturer Hyundai to promote its 2009 Tucson SUV.

This service means Fitness First members can use their mobile phone to find out the locations, opening hours and complete timetables of any of the chain’s 85 health clubs around Australia.

Many members live within range of several Fitness First centres and like to know when their favourite instructors are working. The mobile website allows them to plan their fitness around their lifestyle.

Mobile marketing company m.Net was awarded the contract to develop the website by Fitness First’s media supplier, Active Media Group.

The idea for the mobile service was first proposed by an external advertising agency, Initiative. The concept was developed as part of an integrated promotional strategy for a Hyundai vehicle.

According to communication strategist at Initiative, Uma Sekar, members of the young, urban demographic they were targeting with the Hyundai campaign use their mobile phones to maintain their diaries and keep track of their lives, so it made sense to partner with Fitness First to provide a downloadable timetable solution.

Hyundai’s senior manager of marketing communication, Alex Pinsuti, was keen to reach a different part of the buying audience and to create an association with the health club environment.

By having the Tucson appear on the mobiles of Fitness First’s customers, the mobile solution has become a part of Hyundai’s media branding strategy.

“It lets us put ourselves into the Fitness First environment and say that this is what we’re about,” Pinsuti says.

“By advertising on the mobile site, we can show a very targeted market our brand and product promise. It’s about piquing their interest so they take the opportunity to go online and find out more,” he says.

Hyundai has purchased exclusive advertising rights to the Fitness First mobile site for eight weeks, and will closely monitor the results of the promotion to quantify responses.

According to Fitness First’s media supplier Active Media, the mobile solution has achieved its goal.

“They were extremely professional to deal with and not only delivered a solution that is convenient, quick and very easy to use, but they did it on time and within budget,” says Active Media’s CEO.