The aim of this paper is to offer insightful analysis of social media marketing techniques used by gym chains as well as consumer reasons for interacting with them virtually. To remain successful, the main goal is to investigate how much gym chains can affect and build customer-based brand equity by means of their social media marketing campaigns. Here as an example is the John Reed gym chain.Design, approach, or methodology: Using a
qualitative research method, this study interviews twelve consumers and a fitness industry marketing professional in semi-structured in-depth sessions.Findings: The findings show that social media is quite important for chains of fitness. Therefore, a good social media marketing plan is a competitive advantage to keep a positive marketing; hence, it is essential to satisfy
this need. Effective social media marketing depends on a strong client focus. Brands only know what kind of material consumers find fascinating and how to produce it if this kind of attention is paid (Kotler & Keller, 2016.). Social media marketing aims to establish a brand presence that would be suitable for developing consumer relationships. Brands thus show
Their long-term orientation rather
than concentrating on transient marketing campaigns with instant sales impact. They also recognize how actively creative consumers are and how much UGC (O'Reilly & Lancendorfer, 2014) adds to the brand. Brand equity is the value given to a brand's goods or services by consumer recognition; this concept is the benchmark for many businesses assessing their marketing campaigns. Brand equity is regarded as customer-based (Aaker, 1991; Keller,
1993) when companies get a consumer focus on it. If positive, customer-based brand equity has a great influence on a consumer's buy intention, which as a result leads to income for companies and support in preserving a successful position in the industry (Aaker, 1992).Gym chains should satisfy present consumer wants and learn from future trends to modify their
business model to the 21st century and remain competitive in the market as service providers (Vargo & Lusch, 2004). Social media reveals the demands of consumers of gym chains as well as influencing them. Its conflicting role underlines how gym chains must use social media as a tactical move inside the marketing mix.Examining the social media marketing of gym
Chains is even more justified
by the relevance of the fitness lifestyle on social media and the need of companies to set themselves apart from rivals. Still, with their social networks in a pulse, the brand's goals to establish CBBE through social media marketing tness lifestyle, comprising diet, body and exercise, with regard forThe International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), estimates that the health club sector generated about 94 billion US dollar in income in 2019
This shows the financial value of the fitness lifestyle apart from the social influence of established beauty standards and enhancing health levels (Dworkin & Wachs, 2009).Since its cultural roots may be found back to the early 18th century, gym chains 1 reflect a classic business strategy in the fitness sector (Andreasson & Johansson, 2014). The obsession with bodybuilding in the 1960s resulted in the first significant rise in gym chain members, thereby
focusing the business model in front of us. Gym chains arise from a time when everyone could access exercise and when technologies had minimal effect on business and personal life's communication. But the way gym chains are designed to provide mass exercise is no longer in line with consumer needs of today. Highly impacted by social media, society is s
Eeing a second fitness explosion
right now (Millington, 2018). Unlike the first wave between the 1970s and the 1980s, socio-technical systems let customers instantly learn about new fitness trends. This has caused the emphasis to move from sheer muscle development to significant body health and tailored exercise programs. Gym chains have not significantly changed their design and feel in the past decades, despite the clear change of consumer needs.Furthermore constantly emerging
new fitness trends including virtual training and modern home equipment start on a regular basis and are often first presented to consumers on social media (Schmaltz, 2019a). Consequently, the IHRSA underlines the importance of gym chains to promote outside their usage and to apply marketing can improve the development of customer-based brand equity,
notably the brand assets of brand awareness and brand associations.Implications: Gym chain marketing managers should take customer-based brand equity from social media into serious thought in their whole marketing plan. Therefore, different social media marketing strategies help to improve particular brand assets. But a clear transmission of unique selling qualities has to be guaranteed with an eye toward consumer requirements and present values.
Conclusion
Restraints and future studies: This study clarifies constraints resulting from outside circumstances and the data collecting approach. Although the Coronavirus crisis affected data collecting, additional constraints derived from the abductive research approach allowing just hypothetical conclusions and the applied research strategy. Future studies might improve the results by examining several gym chains including their offline operations.
Originality/value: The study shows that the customer-based brand equity theory of Aaker (1991) and theories of consumer engagement (Belk, 2013; Islam et al., 2018) are relevant in the framework of social media marketing of gyms chains. Based on the results, the research offers a first knowledge of CBBE development by gym chains using social media marketing.
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