Cult.fit competes with short videos and OTT in its latest ad spots

Prachita Pujari, brand head, Cult.fit, says that due to the high fitness intent of users at the beginning of a new year, it is the right time to launch its campaign.

New year means new resolutions. And, one resolution that tops most people’s list, is not missing workouts and staying healthy. Keeping this positive consumer sentiment in mind, health and fitness brand Cult.fit recently launched a campaign titled ‘One More Workout’.

One can lose precious hours of the day scrolling through addictive short-videos or binge-watching OTT content. Taking a witty approach on these habits, Cult.fit has launched two quirky ads that are conceptualised by the brand’s creative agency partner, Bare Bones Collective. 

Speaking about the insight behind the campaign, Prachita Pujari, brand head, Cult.fit, says, “We always go after people who know the importance of fitness. When it comes to fitness, one tends to come up with excuses or procrastinate.”

She says that the campaign is like a wake-up call for people to stop procrastinating and indulging in unproductive activities and, instead, focus on their fitness. The brand wanted to retain its fun, quirky and witty tone, and didn’t wish to get too preachy in its messaging.  

Cult.fit typically does campaigns around December and January, informs Pujari. It’s the time of the year when the fitness intent is the highest. “Many people kick-start their fitness journey at the beginning of the year. So, it’s the right time for us, as the business impact and conversion is better during this time.”

Sharing the trends during this time, Pujari states, “Our leads, in terms of walk-ins and trials as well as the conversion on those leads, go up during this time. So overall, it's a healthy time for us to start because the business impact and conversion is better, and the lead funnel also grows organically.”

Since this is a unique category, Pujari mentions, the media mix remains a constant challenge, as the brand has to deliver its message in the most effective manner. “Cult.fit’s TG is in the top four metros. They tend to use more of digital media. Hence, the platform uses digital more than traditional/offline channels. In digital too, the brand chooses high affinity and impact properties.” 

Post-COVID, people have started stepping out more and prefer to go to offline fitness centres. The majority of Cult.fit’s customer base and revenue, comes from offline centres. The split between online and offline is continuously shifting, informs Pujari. 

Push notification is an important part of Cult.fit’s marketing, to drive conversations and reach out to its existing member base. The brand constantly tries to innovate its messaging, as per different cohorts, and deliver the relevant message to that cohort. 

Pujari mentions that not bombarding users with push notifications is also important and, hence, Cult.fit plans its campaigns accordingly. These push notifications are ideated by the brand’s in-house creative team.

Cult.fit is in the process of opening more centres in Tier-II and III cities, and plans to reach a target of 1,000-plus centres by the end of 2023. 

Once users purchase Cult.fit’s membership, they can choose from various formats. Apart from the regular classes, it also hosts a variety of workshops, special classes, and engages with fitness influencers to keep the variety alive. These are some USPs that help Cult.fit to experience a high customer retention rate throughout the year.