Total Fitness Ignites a New Era: Introducing Their First Brand Director

Total Fitness, a health club chain based in Northwest England and Wales, has announced the appointment of Kerry Curtis as its first-ever brand development director. This move demonstrates the organization's dedication to brand marketing as it strives to expand beyond its primary gym facilities.

Curtis, who initially joined the company in 2018 as the head of marketing, is now assuming the responsibilities of the brand development director following her successful tenure as the head of brand development. During this time, she played a key role in integrating product development into her portfolio.

Curtis will now be a member of Total Fitness's executive committee as part of her new job, which demonstrates the company's dedication to the value of their brand. She describes joining the company as a "turnaround" job, as it had faced challenges in recent years with significant changes in senior leadership. Despite her background in travel and airlines, Curtis acknowledges that her initial appointment was somewhat of a risk due to the industry's preference for hiring from within.

"I approached decision-making from a fresh perspective, relying on research and insight, and challenging traditional practices," she explains.

Regarding the significance of branding, Curtis acknowledges that Sophie Lawler, CEO of Total Fitness, has been supportive throughout the process, recognizing the crucial role it plays in driving the growth and development of the business. Curtis believes her new role reflects the forward direction of the company and its ambition to disrupt the industry as a challenger. Additionally, it emphasizes the brand's commitment to the marketing function.

Rephrased: According to Curtis, most fitness brands are focused on sales and rely on price-driven campaigns. However, Total Fitness has positioned itself as a more inclusive and holistic space compared to its competitors. This approach is evident in the wide range of members they cater to, from all age groups, starting from 0 to 80, and their total membership count of nearly 100,000 across 15 gyms. Curtis emphasizes that the fitness industry typically takes a serious stance, especially in the budget segment, whereas Total Fitness is positioned in the mid-range. Instead of focusing solely on aesthetics, Total Fitness prioritizes understanding the needs of its members and finding ways to fulfill them.

The fitness industry from a brand and semiotics point of view is quite serious, especially in the budget end.

Kerry Curtis, Total Fitness

Furthermore, within the fitness industry, suppliers of equipment are regarded as the leaders in innovation, as noted by Curtis. However, in her new position, she aims to revolutionize this mindset. "We plan to adopt a unique approach," she affirms, emphasizing our dedication to prioritizing customer satisfaction.

Moreover, she states, "Our intention is to tackle the significant challenges head-on." She further acknowledges that the fitness industry lags behind other sectors in terms of modernization and progress.

Beyond the core

Planning for future expansion poses a challenge for Total Fitness due to the extensive dimensions of its gyms, which hinder rapid expansion into numerous locations like some other gym brands. According to the spokesperson, "This is what sets us apart. Our growth won't be of that magnitude."

Currently, the company is seeking growth beyond its main focus. Instead of expanding to new locations, the business is concentrating on enhancing its offerings under the master brand. This includes improving its swimming programs and providing online exercise options for customers to do at home.

Curtis explains that the company sees great potential in providing a premium poolside experience. In the near future, the company will be introducing a "swim academy" to cater to the needs of its members of all ages, aiming to encourage them to take part in swimming activities.

Additionally, in addition to swimming, Total Fitness is also focusing on creating spaces specifically designed for women. According to Curtis, the women's gym spaces within their current gyms are not given proper attention in terms of available products, such as having only 2kg dumbbells, despite being highly popular. In response to this, Total Fitness plans to open a women-only gym later this year, which will not only provide a private workout and swimming area for women but also allow the brand to gain valuable insights into the specific needs and preferences of this core group. This new gym will also serve as an opportunity for Curtis to revamp the brand's sign-up process and enhance the customer experience. Despite the significant increase in online sign-ups from 5-7% in 2018 to 55% presently, the brand has not made significant improvements to its online user journey. Curtis hopes that the opening of the new gym will provide an ideal opportunity to revitalize the sales process and make necessary changes as they welcome new members.

The way the fitness industry, especially in the mid-market, sells memberships is a bit like a car salesman.

Kerry Curtis, Total Fitness

"The mid-market fitness industry sells memberships in a manner comparable to car salespeople," she states. Despite the growing number of online sign-ups, Curtis acknowledges that the industry has been slow in adopting an online process. However, upcoming changes aim to empower customers to handle the membership process themselves, striking a balance between a fully automated online system and a sales-oriented approach. Furthermore, Total Fitness has been enhancing its employer branding, an uncommon undertaking for a business of its size. Curtis explains that this decision was made after realizing the challenges and relatively low wages in the fitness industry, whether it be the physical demands of moving gym equipment or the complexities of ensuring health and safety.

The new employer brand has successfully attracted individuals who align closely with the company's culture of resilience and hard work, according to Curtis. Alongside the Total Fitness leadership team, Curtis emphasizes the significant importance of brand-building, prioritizing the customer's role as the driving force behind their current path. Curtis further states their dedication to approaching things from a customer-first perspective, promising a unique approach.

“And we need a brand lead to do that, as opposed to operations or finance,” she concludes.