Make Fitness Fun with Reebok and Bipasha Basu

25 Sep 2008

According to in-depth research conducted by Reebok, women around the world are looking for ways to take the boredom out of staying fit.

Reebok identified the need to bring fun back into fitness through proprietary research and information gathered by GFK/Roper Worldwide. In 2008, based on 15,000 women in 25 countries, GFK/Roper Worldwide found that nearly half of the women said that while they know exercise and keeping fit is very important to their overall health and well being, less than 25 percent participate in fitness often.

Through extensive discussions with women around the world, Reebok pinpointed the consumer insight that women perceive exercise as a chore, and would workout more often if the gym was fun. Reebok also uncovered that while it is a universal truth that women find exercise transformational and empowering, they push it aside because it is perceived as a boring chore.

To fulfill this consumer need, Reebok is on a mission to make fitness fun again through an exciting partnership with top instructors from around the world renowned for their fresh, fun approach to working out. The Reebok Global Instructors Team have partnered with the brand to debut a groundbreaking new fitness initiative, to be announced later this year.

The Reebok Global Instructors Team was hand selected by Reebok because of the unique combination of energy, motivation, inspiration and fun they bring to their fitness classes. They are some of the most passionate, talented and remarkable fitness instructors in the world. Instructors from Sweden, Germany, Korea, UK, China, Russia, India, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, France, and key US cities including New York City, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami and more comprise the Reebok Global Instructors Team.

"Lack of time continues to be the most frequently cited reason why individuals do not exercise on a regular basis. Time-starved people continue to seek out effective, yet time-efficient workouts pushing health clubs and trainers to offer express circuits and abbreviated routines. Even the most dedicated exercisers occasionally get bored with their routines. A new variation on activities such as a cardio-funk class or a "boot camp" workout instead of traditional exercise machines or working with free weights instead of step aerobics will help to reinvigorate stale routines." said Vinata Shetty, Reebok Global Instructors Team, India.

"I see so many people coming to the gym with a closed mind because, to them, exercise feels like a chore," said Swedish Reebok instructor, Jennie Widegren. "It is so important for my students to have fun in my classes. The right moves make people open up."

"It concerns me when I see people coming into the gym weary and unmotivated," agreed New York based Reebok fitness instructor, Sara Haley. "I am always looking for new ways to get them excited and to bring the fun back into fitness."

Reebok's insightful new point of view on fitness is supported by an integrated global marketing campaign. Bipasha Basu is the face of the campaign in India. The campaign further reinforces Reebok's challenger approach to provide consumers with the choice to take the boredom out of working out.

Running online, out-of-home, in-store, and in print, the campaign features fun, engaging taglines such as, "Less work, more play. Fitness is what you make of it. Your Move" and "Confusing fitness with fun? Your Move."

On September 15, 2008, Reebok launched its new women's fitness website, www.reebok.com/women to bring the brand's unique point of view on fitness to life. Inspiring consumers to become active and think about fitness and movement in a different way, www.reebok.com/women brings to life Reebok's instructors in an interactive, compelling way.