Why I Love This Ad: Planet Fitness “We're All Strong”

This 30-second spot from Planet Fitness caught my attention recently during a Netflix ad break.

Song Choice

Subconsciously, the opening piano riff to When In Rome’s “I Promise You” caught my brain waves first. The tune has an uplifting 80’s montage vibe going for it. It’s more John Hughes than Rocky, but that’s the point. It’s what I could call “comforting aspirational.”

This song is an excellent choice on two levels:

• Level one: The song is recognizable but not instantly. Its peak position back in the day was #11 on the charts. Cheaper to license, yes. A Top 20 hit like this doesn't play in your mind space like an earworm. It plays as a song you want to figure out the song.
• Level two: Once solved, you will land on the hook “I promise you, I promise you, I will.” This is smart. This is clever. Obliquely brilliant even. Planet Fitness is making implied promises to you through this campaign.

This leads me to the part I love. The message in this ad is as pitch-perfect as the song choice.

Copywriting & Message

“At Planet Fitness, no two members are alike. Their routines are different. They use different equipment. And they do it for different reasons. But they all have one thing in common. They are all strong. We are all strong on this planet. Planet Fitness.”

This is an individualistic message (no two members are alike) that empowers the gym member’s choice (routines and equipment) before finally expanding out to a universal message of community (we are all strong on this planet).

Visually, this spot isn’t the most dynamic. The reason: the movement in the ad is matched to the tempo of the song. It never rushes ahead or behind. It stays on the beat.

Cinematography & Creative Direction

The same can be said of the motivational self-talk that increases throughout the ad. It’s placed in there rhythmically with both the song and the narrator. As the message moves from individualistic to universal, the frequency of the members self-talk and motivating themselves becomes more frequent and audible, tracing along the message as it goes universal. It gives the impression that Planet Fitness is a place where everyone’s self-talk has the power to lift up the community in the gym.

Final Thoughts

For an ad that is airing on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Netflix, it literally doesn’t HiiT you like a Peloton ad. But then again, if you look at Peloton sales, it’s hard to make the argument that those ads are effective at all. They aren’t nearly as effective as this ad and campaign from Plant Fitness.

https://www.ispot.tv/ad/fP3R/planet-fitness-were-all-strong-15-song-by-when-in-rome
https://us.specialgroup.com/case-studies/planet-fitness