What were we thinking?
We have noticed some strong opinions and passionate debates about our ads on social media sites, and we have refrained from interjecting because we really wanted to see how the conversations evolved. By saying that, we admit that we anticipated our ads might not sit well with everyone. We may not be able to change your opinion of them, but at least we can give you some insight into the thought process behind them:
When you join a typical gym, you basically get access to a bunch of heavy weights and treadmills, and maybe some group fitness classes where everyone seems to know all the moves except you. The membership fee is just a pass to get in the door. No one tries to understand your goals or help you achieve your results. Sometimes they don’t even bother to learn your name.
So you head for the treadmills (cardio is good, and you know how to walk, right?), and after a couple of months or so of seeing limited results, you quit.
To achieve real results, you need help: help in nutrition planning, help in developing exercise programs, and help in understanding how the two work together to change your life.
At LFF, we are trying to make “help” a part of everything we do. We offer all members a free 28-day guide to help them understand the basic mechanics of nutrition and exercise routines. We offer free clinics led by certified trainers 8 times a week to teach members new strength and cardio routines. We’ve introduced 7 new small-group classes to provide more variety and excitement to help folks stay engaged and motivated. We also have some cool technology (both in-club and online) to help you measure and keep track of your success (BMI, body fat, weight, blood pressure, etc.).
Our advertising is designed to drive home that point: we can help.
We anticipated that some might perceive our ads as us making fun of overweight people. That’s not the intent, nor would we take such an obvious risk if there wasn’t a broader purpose. These ads are a commentary on how prevalent obesity is in our society: it’s as common as jokes in a schoolyard. In the midst of this joking and one-upmanship, however, one child chimes in and delivers a different message: his mother or father (there are two versions of the ads) has changed his/her life because he/she got the necessary help at Lifestyle Family Fitness.
We have been asked, why not just show before and after testimonials, or show happy, skinny people? First off, fitness is not a destination; it’s a lifestyle (no pun intended). Before and after testimonials (BTW – does anyone believe testimonials anymore?) suggest that one day you are overweight, and then one day you are not. It doesn’t work that way. The wrong expectation is set, and the victim here is the person trying to lose weight.
Secondly, every gym in the world shows “the pretty people,” and we believe ads that depict Hollywood-perfect bodies also set unrealistic expectations. Eating disorders and self-esteem problems are almost as common as obesity, and are worse than schoolyard jokes.
We have heard a few comments about bullying. Candidly, we did a lot to make sure that “no children were harmed in the filming of this commercial.” All of the kids are laughing, no one appears emotionally wounded, and there are no wedgies to be found. To be fair, it has been pointed out that “bullying” has taken on a broader definition over the past several years, so we may have to eat a little crow here: we did not intend to depict bullying. For what it’s worth, we air these commercials during morning news and late-night prime time, not on Nickelodeon during Spongebob Squarepants. But, ok, it may be a fair point.
We can debate many other aspects of these ads at great length and probably not agree on everything. We felt it was important to grab peoples’ attention in order to drive home a point: if you really want to see results, the gym is not a “do it yourself” operation. In the cluttered world of TV advertising, we admittedly took a few risks to spark this discussion and in the process, may have stepped on a few toes.
However, it is our hope that the larger message is also heard: behind everyone’s desire to join a gym is a decision to make a change in his or her life. That decision is usually rooted in a painful experience: being embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit; not feeling thin enough for the upcoming reunion or wedding, or being made fun of by a schoolyard joke. LFF is working hard to provide the necessary help to turn those pain points into success stories.
So, now that we’ve put all this out there, what say you LFF fans? Was our risk worth it? We look forward to this discussion – please share your comments below.
Topics: Around the Club, Fit Lifestyle | 6 Comments »
January 24th, 2012 at 8:05 pm
I thought these ads were adorable and achieved the intended purpose. It’s cute and clever. Plus, as someone who has taken many of the classes at LFF, I can honestly say it drives home the point that the classes are intense enough to produce change, which, let’s face it, is what we’re all looking for, right?
January 25th, 2012 at 6:47 pm
I think the ads are refreshing. It is nice to see a health club not use models that set up unrealistic expectations. These spots have more of a “from the mouth of babes” vibe rather than bullying or antagonistic approach to a segment of the population. I say nice job LFF, motivation delivered in a clever package that we all can relate with.
January 26th, 2012 at 3:24 pm
Feedback from friends to this LFF employee: they all love it. Kids are cute anyway; they always make the best commercials (Ameritrade babies ftw). I recommend the classes, peeps! They are the easiest way to get “help” without feeling intimidated.
February 1st, 2012 at 9:06 am
We are disgusted by your ads. encouraging children to disrespect their mothers and other children’s mothers, promoting and approving anger and fighting from their fathers. whoever did the ads is deeply disturbed and troubled and is seriously out of touch with the problems facing our schools.
February 1st, 2012 at 6:28 pm
Your ads are not adorable or refreshing. You simply don’t get it….don’t use children to get your messages across to adults. I have cancelled my membership.
Beverly M. Smith
February 11th, 2012 at 8:07 am
I agree with Vicki and BJ, the ads are not cute and not refreshing, they teach making fun of others problems and being disrespectfull to others, in this case even worse it is thier parents. Grow up LFF, the only ones that think showing this behavior are people with problems of their own. As I stated, I change the channel as this commercial comes on, I think it is in very poor taste.