A florentine
like you've never
seen before
Virgin Active
How to find an engaging way to promote the opening of a new fitness village in the city of Florence and obtain the maximum return on investment during pre-launch period.
the idea
In a simple phrase: make light hearted fun of the citizens of Florence by joking around with the culinary traditions of Tuscany and reinterpreting it from a fitness/lifestyle angle. By taking advantage of the fact that in Italian the word for the city’s signature dish “La Fiorentina” (T-bone steak) also means “someone from Florence” we had all we needed to create an effectice and playful campaign in pure Virgin Active style.
the execution
DISCLAIMER!!!
These claims get lost in translation!
Start by generating a bit of disturbance among the public by spreading two claims throughout the city that do not sit well with Florentines: T-bone steaks with no fat and T-bone steaks cooked well-done. Bemused (and slightly disgusted) but curious its time to reveal the punchline to the people of Florence.
Out in the open with street marketing, radio ads and billboards. The real story behind those strange claims? "la Fiorentina" and "il Fiorentino" are actually a man and woman who are in great shape... thanks to Virgin Active of coarse.
At the end of it all an exclusive party for the new opening: Virgin Active Paradise, which once again gets people throughout the city talking. 5 hours of live music and DJ set with special guests from some of the elading stars of the Italian music industry.
Sowing the seeds of curiosity amongst the citizens of Florence with a “teaser” flyer campaign supported by local radio. All done with a minimum of branding in order to maintain the element of surprise. Followed by the moment in which everything is revealed: billboards and street marketing announcing the new opening, again supported by local radio.
PARADISE by Virgin Active
Event management for the opening party, undertaking Art Direction and logistical support for the actual event. An online RSVP system and dedicated mini website were especially created and integrated with the printed invites. An exclusive party which became the talk of the town!
the results
media
- 10 days spreading the teaser claim
- +40 hours of street marketing
- 380 radio announcements on 5 local stations for an average of 250,000 daily listeners
testimonials
- Cristiana Capotondi, actress
- Niccolò Beni, Olympic swimmer
pre sale
- Target of 1500 new members in first quarter exceeded