2013 Bronze Best use of Mobile

Client Pure Gym

How did the campaign make a difference? The myPureGym app took the brand to myriad new customer touch points. In six months, 110,581 unique users downloaded the app, accounting for over 40% of the membership base. Nearly 3.5 million sessions have been launched. It has also helped drive acquisition by letting non-members find their nearest gym.

What details of the strategy make this a winning entry? Pure Gym is the fastest-growing gym chain in the UK. By focusing on delivering innovative ideas, they have become market leaders, with 35% of the affordable fitness sector. The business is built on four pillars: no-contract membership, from £10.99; free classes; over 220 pieces of kit in each gym; open 24/7. The challenge was to deliver a practical, digital solution that no other UK gym chain had brought to market. Something entirely customer-centric. Loyalty was also an important consideration. People join gyms full of healthy ambitions, then after a few months, inertia sets in. The challenge for Pure Gym was to keep customers motivated, focused and inspired. Research indicated there were also potential issues with the number of staff at gyms and the services on offer. If the gym was busy, how could a user get advice on unfamiliar equipment? Another challenge was to devise a fast, easy way to make booking classes simple, accurate, intuitive and uncluttered. With smartphone usage high, a bespoke, free mobile app was the most effective way to meet the needs of Pure Gym users.

How did creativity bring the strategy to life? An array of fitness tools deepened and enriched customer engagement, in a huge gym with a small number of staff. This was the industry's first app to let users book, manage and cancel classes in real time. Non-members could find their nearest gym. The four main functions of the app are: 1) myPureGym: see weekly class times then book straight into your phone calendar; 2) GymScan: all equipment has a scannable QR code for engaging 'how-to-use' videos; 3) Find a gym: full local gym info using location services or search; and 4) Hints & Tips: access workouts tailored to personal goals (like weight loss or bigger arms).

Results Since launch in January 2013, 87,598 unique users have downloaded the iOS app, 20,964 of whom use it every week. Over 3 million sessions have been launched. The 4-star-rated app was number one in the first week of launch. The Android app, launched in April 2013, has been downloaded by 22,983 unique users, 7,117 of which are active weekly. A total of 407,989 sessions have been launched.