GoodLife Fitness has picked Gut Toronto as its new creative agency, with eyes on re-igniting the brand this fall.

The agency, now in its second year of operation, will be responsible for creating GoodLife Fitness’ new brand strategy and platform, which will be part of a “re-ignition” campaign going live in October, with additional campaigns to follow over the course of next year.

Gut will also be working closely with GoodLife’s internal marketing team to execute on all aspects of GoodLife advertising and content, including TV, OOH and digital, as well as execution of strategic partnerships. It will also work closely with Carat, which has been given the brand’s media assignment.

The arrangement is an annual retainer agreement. GoodLife has not had an official AOR for several years – its most recent campaign was handled internally – though it previously worked with FCB Canada, having given the agency creative duties in 2019 (FCB did not participate in the most recent RFP).

Nicole Pekerman, who was named VP of marketing at GoodLife Fitness earlier this year, says the brand wanted to work with a partner that could help it elevate its brand platform and showcase the expertise and programs GoodLife Fitness offers across Canada to meet the needs and interests of the post-pandemic gym-goer.

The new platform will spotlight changing lifestyle habits brought on by the pandemic, with a focus on the brand’s founding values – that fitness and health are essential to living a “good life,” and can take different forms for everyone.

Miami-based Gut opened its Toronto outpost in late 2020 to serve its Tim Hortons account. And O’Hagan says it is “privileged” to work with another brand, GoodLife, that is a central part of Canadians’ daily lives, while Brynna Aylward, ECD at Gut Toronto, says momentum is building with the shop after securing its first-ever Lion at Cannes.

“Following the win we hired a senior creative team and are adding three new account roles – director, supervisor, executive – as well as a senior broadcast producer,” says Ryan O’Hagan, managing director of Gut Toronto. Its staff plan is to now reach 60 full-time employees.

The GoodLife assignment is the office’s second AOR relationship, though it has recently won a handful of other work. It worked on a brand relaunch for personal lubricant brand K-Y Jelly, set to launch this fall, and has also been awarded global projects for Toronto-based Spin Master’s Rubik’s Cube, the first campaigns for which are set to launch in 2023.

GoodLife has approximately 200 locations across Canada, making it the country’s largest gym and fitness chain, as well as the fourth-largest globally.