By the numbers
82
media placements
24.3M+
impressions
$352,408
in publicity value
Client background
United Fitness Partners is the largest Planet Fitness franchisee group. It operates nearly 200 clubs nationwide. Each summer, the group runs Planet Fitness’s High School Summer Pass program. The pass gives teens aged 14 to 19 free access to gym facilities. The goal is simple. Get teens moving during the summer. Build habits that last beyond it. The program also serves a business purpose. Teens and their families experience the value of a Planet Fitness membership firsthand. That experience builds brand loyalty and drives new memberships.
The challenge
United Fitness Partners hired CKP to build awareness of the free summer program. The campaign needed broadcast and digital coverage across the franchisee’s local markets. That meant coordinating a story across 21 media markets at once. The story had to stay consistent nationally. It also had to feel locally relevant in each market. The people telling that story were club managers, trainers, and district managers spread across the country. Nearly 50 of them needed training before a single interview could be booked. CKP had to build the communications infrastructure before the campaign could start.
The CKP approach
CKP started with preparation. Weeks before launch, CKP led a system-wide media training session for nearly 50 potential spokespeople. The session came with a branded resource document. It gave each spokesperson consistent messaging and talking points they could use on their own, in any market, in any interview format.
With a trained roster in place, CKP turned to outreach. The team used local market research to identify the outlets most likely to reach teens and their families. Press materials were tailored to each market.
That preparation paid off during execution. CKP coordinated in-person, phone, and virtual interviews quickly across markets nationwide. Coverage continued from launch through the end of summer. CKP tied the Summer Pass story to United Fitness Partners’ broader community work, highlighting local partnerships and events. The team also solicited storytelling opportunities directly from members, giving reporters real people and real results to cover throughout the season.
What we delivered
- Media Relations
- Media Training
- Community and Member Relations
Results
The campaign secured 82 media placements across 21 media markets. Coverage generated more than 24.3 million earned media impressions. That coverage was worth more than $352,408 in publicity value. These results helped United Fitness Partners contribute meaningfully to the national Planet Fitness initiative.
The impact reached beyond media metrics. In a Planet Fitness survey conducted after the program, 83% of teen respondents said High School Summer Pass benefited their mental health. 72% said their summer would have been less productive without it.
