GoodLife Fitness is encouraging Canadians to find the hero inside of them in its latest campaign with DS+P.

Building on its overall “Good Life” campaign, which is now in its sixth year, the 30-second TV and 15-second online creative features regular folks being active and acknowledging that while they aren’t sports legends in the eyes of the general public, they are heroes to someone important in their lives – whether a grandson, daughter or sister. Eight radio spots tell the story through the eyes of a child who looks up to their adult hero.

The new creative began airing Sept. 8, and is supported by direct mail and in-club channels. The London, Ont.-based company, the largest fitness company in Canada with more than 320 clubs and one million members, says it has grown 111% in the past year on the strength of the evolving campaign.

The latest evolution – “Live your good life. Be a hero to the people who matter most to you.” – aims to indirectly address the number one barrier to people joining a gym – intimidation, says John Muszak, VP marketing and public relations at GoodLife, by providing motivation to be active. For instance, in one TV spot a dad skates in an arena while a voiceover says, “You won’t find me in a poster on a bedroom wall. Kids playing hockey will never wear my jersey,” before it shows him hugging his daughter and declaring, “No, I’m not your hero, but I am hers.”

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“People know that working out and regular exercise is good for them,” Muszak says. “The insight we are trying to convey is that you not only benefit yourself but you become everyday, average heroes to those around you.”

Targeted at Canadians across ages and genders, Muszak says the company relies on traditional media to reach older users while targeting a younger demo in the digital space. This campaign drops in the fall, the fitness co’s second-strongest period after the new year for sign ups as people get back into routines after the summer, he says.

Muszak says GoodLife has a team of about 30 people who do all creative in house, with the exception of TV and radio. Its media buy for this campaign was handled by independent Kelly Mudry Media Services.

Having been in business since 1979, GoodLife has the sort of longevity that is hard to find for fitness facilities, Muszak says, noting all its creative from the past six years has sought to position the company as a “tier one Canadian brand with the likes of Tim Hortons and Canadian Tire.”