This month’s Gymtopia story focuses on Planet Fitness, the fast-growing North American low-cost gym brand, and its four-year partnership with Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) to raise much-needed funds for the charity.

For the last four years, the project took place during May to coincide with America’s celebration of Mothers’ Day.

How the project started
Back in 2010, Planet Fitness wanted to develop a project to coincide with Mothers’ Day, which in the US is held on the second Sunday in May. The gym brand was seeking to support a cause with deep significance and meaning on a day that celebrated women.

Following considerable research, Planet Fitness decided to align itself with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, founded by Evelyn H Lauder in 1993, whose everyday mission is to prevent and cure breast cancer by helping to advance the world’s most promising research in this area.

Why this cause matters to Planet Fitness
Every two minutes, an American woman is diagnosed with breast cancer. Some of these women may have a connection with Planet Fitness – a possibility that becomes ever more likely as the gym brand continues to grow its 900-strong club network across the United States and Canada.

As Chris Rondeau, CEO of Planet Fitness, says: “We’re committed to helping improve people’s lives, through fitness and giving back to our communities, and with so many grandmothers, mothers and daughters touched by breast cancer, we felt this promotion was the perfect way to honour Mother’s Day.”

Simple idea, big impact
For a one-week period each May, Planet Fitness donated to Breast Cancer Research Foundation 100 per cent of the $10 enrolment fee it charged new members to join its clubs. It was a very generous and authentic act given that monthly membership is also only $10 – authentic because, if the intention were simply to generate some PR buzz, the brand could have donated just a portion of the joining fee rather than all of it.

As the low-cost gym franchise grew across North America, so more of its franchise club network became involved, increasing the funds raised each year.

Extending the campaign
But Planet Fitness’ partnership with Breast Cancer Research Foundation evolved beyond a simple fundraising programme targeted at new members.

The partnership was also brought to life in-club via pink treadmills, which triggered a $1 donation for every mile logged during the week, up to a $25,000 total cap across the whole network. Limited edition T-shirts were also sold with a message on the back saying ‘$10 never meant so much’ – and again, 100 per cent of the proceeds went to the BCRF. Print and online media channels were leveraged to drive awareness of both the BCRF campaign and its mission.

Influence drives awareness
Planet Fitness is a surprisingly large business. Back in March 2014, the company announced it had reached five million members across its then 750 clubs. One year on, with an additional 150 clubs, it should now be approaching six million members – larger than the entire population of Denmark. This means the brand has considerable influence to intervene and play a meaningful role in issues it cares about.

Importantly, it doesn’t have to do this on its own. Its Mothers’ Day campaign came to involve numerous contributors – including the media community, which donated $50,000 of media services in 2014 encompassing billboards, public service radio announcements, direct mail and online campaign impressions.

Financial impact
The Planet Fitness Mothers’ Day campaign raised $2.1m between 2010 and 2014 (source: BCRF). This is a significant sum that helped support the mission of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which annually funds more than 222 university scientists and global medical institutions.

Importantly, the money raised by Planet Fitness is not sitting on account simply accumulating interest, but is being invested in critical research. One recipient of Planet Fitness funding is Dr Dipali Sharma, an associate professor of oncology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, US, whose team is investigating how molecular changes caused by obesity trigger breast cancer.

Strategic long-term charitable alliances such as these are proof that gyms can have a purpose and reach that extends well beyond their club walls, touching the lives of people who may themselves never be members.

Did you know that Havas Media, in its 2013 Meaningful Brands survey of 134,000 consumers, discovered that the majority of respondents wouldn’t care if three-quarters of brands disappeared tomorrow? I see alliances like these as essential in helping a brand stay interesting, relevant and viable.

What can your business do?
How can your club or centre harness Mothers’ Day to celebrate the role of women and create some meaningful impact in your community?

As always, start with a cause your stakeholders genuinely care about, because this is a mission, not a chore. Also carefully identify charity partners and pay attention to how efficiently they deliver on their everyday missions. The BCRF, for example, is recognised as a highly efficient US non-profit with top evaluations from independent firms that assess effectiveness and impact.