How to Maximize Brand Awareness Through National Opportunities

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When a franchise is thrust into the national spotlight, it’s their responsibility to make the most of it, both in the moment and in the future.

By Mark de Gorter

It’s not often that franchises are given the opportunity to be a part of a major motion picture. Even as the franchise industry picks up steam and continues to see increased sales across the country, promotional opportunities of that caliber are usually left to brands with big, international presences. But when a smaller, growing company is given the chance to show off its brand in front of millions of consumers, it has to make the most of it.

WORKOUT ANYTIME recently had one of these national opportunities when we were selected to have a feature role in the Hollywood blockbuster film Mother’s Day. Going into production, we knew that this would open many doors for the brand. Millions of people will see the film during the first few weeks of its nationwide run alone, not to mention the additional audiences reached when the film is released for home viewing.

The biggest focus for us throughout the entire process has been maximizing WORKOUT ANYTIME’s brand awareness. There is nothing more important than keeping your brand name in front of your target audience. As more people become aware of your brand, it’s also critical that everything from logos and facilities to social media and marketing messages stay consistent and strong.

National audiences give franchises the opportunity to establish their brand in a major way. After your brand is seen on the big screen, or on another major platform, if it is represented authentically in terms your audience can personally relate to, they will add it to their shortlist of companies to check out. That type of exposure is something that can’t be bought — and it certainly can’t be wasted.

Our approach to product placement is rooted in providing an environment of authenticity to create real-world scenarios that our target can relate to. With respect to Mother’s Day, our exposure connects the brand with serious star power in situations that are “real world”: Jason Sudeikis plays a WORKOUT ANYTIME franchisee, and Jennifer Aniston’s character is a WORKOUT ANYTIME member. This is the ultimate example of “art imitating life,” and our efforts to promote this connection had to be worthy of their own red carpet.

These are the two steps that have been instrumental in making WORKOUT ANYTIME’s Hollywood debut a success:

Capitalize on the opportunity in the moment

When a national opportunity catapults your franchise into the public eye, run with it. That moment isn’t going to come around twice, so activation becomes key: it’s crucial to make sure that your brand is doing everything it can to promote its concept and explain to a wide audience why it’s the best in the business. That can be done in a variety of ways, from limited time offers to social media contests and targeted online advertisements. These are all ways to get more eyes on your brand and bring more customers through your doors.

It’s also essential for franchises to engage both current and potential customers in their promotions. We did this at WORKOUT ANYTIME by partnering with the movie studio to create a national sweepstakes where a grand prize winner was flown to Hollywood to attend the Mother’s Day premiere. WORKOUT ANYTIME locations across the country also offered Fandango gift certificate to new and current members who referred new clients so they could go see the movie in theaters. By making our target audience a part of our promotions, we have been able to create more interest in WORKOUT ANYTIME’s business model.

Use that momentum to expand in the future

It isn’t enough for franchises to focus solely on the national attention they receive in the moment. National opportunities give companies the chance to expand their brand awareness for years to come. When someone comes across a brand name in a movie, or any other type of media, and it’s presented in an inspirational or aspirational light, it will spike their interest to learn more. That means that brands can use that interest down the line to recruit more customers and franchise partners, which ultimately adds to their bottom line.

Mother’s Day has made millions of people across the country aware of WORKOUT ANYTIME, and our opportunities for growth are already benefitting because of it. We already have a passionate and committed system of franchisees in place who are working to grow the brand at a rapid rate. Now, we’re excited to keep that momentum rolling by using this unique opportunity to continue expanding across the country.

Mark de Gorter is chief operating officer of Atlanta-based WORKOUT ANYTIME, a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week fitness concept with 100 units across the U.S.