Client
Gold’s Gym
Corporate Bankruptcy - Controlling the narrative
Franchise
Crisis & Reputation Management
The Challenge
Iconic fitness brand Gold’s Gym was planning to announce that it was filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, closing 30 gyms and putting the brand up for sale during the early weeks of the Covid-19 lockdown, when all gyms nationally were ordered to close. This would be big news no matter when it happened, but the situation was intensified by pandemic-stoked economic worries.
The Solution
- Created an aggressive, proactive strategy to control the narrative by breaking the news in a trusted industry trade, followed by a wire release and tiered media outreach.
- Prepped the CEO for national broadcast and print interviews to share the key message that “Gold’s Gym isn’t going anywhere.”
- Pitched and coordinated media interviews with The Wall Street Journal, FOX Business, Bloomberg Business News, CNN, Forbes, USA Today, Business Insider, Franchise Times, Dallas Business Journal, and The Dallas Morning News.
- Scripted and produced a video of the CEO’s statement to gym members for the website, and drafted FAQs, team member talking points, and member emails.
- As a result of the strong brand positioning, the company sold for $20 million over analysts’ forecasts. Gold’s Gym continues to retain SPM for crisis management.
