Revitalizing a Fitness Giant: Inside Fitness First's Asia Rebrand

High debt levels, a failed IPO, and fierce competition from low-cost fitness chains left Fitness First in a precarious global position. In key markets like Australia, Europe, and the UK, aggressive price wars diluted the brand’s value proposition, forcing the company to abandon expansion plans and sell off underperforming locations. Oaktree Capital and Marathon Asset Management acquired Fitness First through a debt-for-equity swap, signaling a new chapter. A fresh global management team was appointed, tasked with implementing a strategy more attuned to the UK and Australian markets while addressing global challenges.

Amid shifting brand perceptions, Tim, as HR & Operations Director for Asia, was entrusted with designing, developing, and implementing a comprehensive rebrand strategy for the region. This involved working closely with international colleagues to integrate the rebrand across people, products (both digital and on-premise), communications, and employee development, ensuring alignment with global objectives while tailoring solutions to the Asian market.

Tim led the strategic transformation of Fivelements into an urban wellness brand by focusing on five key areas:

• Collaborated with HR leaders globally and regionally to develop a refreshed Employee Value Proposition (EVP), emphasizing recruitment strategies, company values, and behaviors.
• Digitized the people brand by creating a robust, branded Careers Site in four languages, designed for deployment across six Asian countries.
• Designed and launched new branded uniforms for all roles, enhancing the employee experience and aligning with the rebrand.

• Partnered with fitness and digital leaders to create and deploy a new mobile platform with integrated CRM capabilities, providing value-added services to over 200,000 members.
• Launched brand-signature fitness programs that combined digital and on-premise experiences, reinforcing the brand’s leadership in fitness innovation.

• Established an internal communications department to enhance employee engagement and alignment with the rebrand.
• Developed communication tools and strategies, creating a unified voice and brand identity within the company.
• Supported better employee engagement by building platforms for sharing success stories and updates, fostering a sense of community.

• Founded an Asia-wide Learning & Development (L&D) team and collaborated with the Asia Head of L&D to develop training programs aligned with new brand expectations.

• Launched the “Raise the Bar” rebrand readiness program to train all 3,000+ staff.

• Created and implemented the Asia-wide Certification Development Framework, which became a global standard for growing and certifying over 5,000 staff worldwide.

• Rolled out a Trainer Certification Program to ensure high-quality delivery of training modules.

• Developed and introduced talent management and succession planning tools to identify and nurture future regional leaders.

• Facilitated global property workshops to define and implement rebrand signatures across all Fitness First locations, ensuring consistency in brand presentation worldwide.

• Won the Best Global HR Strategy Award (2016) at the HR Excellence Awards for EVP work.

• Delivered a newly branded uniform design live across the Asia estate, enhancing team presentation and morale.

• Launched a multi-language Careers Site ready for deployment in six countries, streamlining recruitment and employer branding.

• Successfully developed and deployed a mobile platform integrated with CRM, offering new value-added digital services to 200,000+ members.

• Rolled out innovative digital and on-premise fitness products, reinforcing the brand’s premium positioning.

• Increased employee engagement and alignment through a newly established internal communications framework.

• Enhanced visibility of regional and global initiatives by implementing streamlined communication tools.

• Fostered a sense of community and collaboration by showcasing success stories and updates across the region.

• Defined competency benchmarks and implemented a region-wide rebrand readiness program (“Raise the Bar”).

• Delivered Train-the-Trainer workshops to embed new L&D programming across the region.

• Saw the Asia-wide Certification Development Framework adopted globally, facilitating the growth and certification of over 5,000 staff.

• Ensured high-quality training through the Trainer Certification Program.

• Implemented talent management and succession planning tools, ensuring a strong leadership pipeline.

• Standardized the design and implementation of rebrand signatures across global Fitness First locations.
• Enhanced the customer experience through consistent branding and design elements in all facilities.
• Supported global workshops that aligned property aesthetics with the rebrand’s goals and messaging.

1. About this Rebrand

2. Challenges Sparking Change

3. Key Objectives of the Rebrand

4. Key Project Initiatives

5. Impact of the Rebrand

6. Tim’s Leadership – Success Outcomes

The Fitness First Asia rebrand was a transformative initiative designed to address critical challenges and re-establish the company as a global fitness industry leader. Over the course of 12 years, the company underwent three ownership changes, weathered financial instability, and faced mounting competition from low-cost fitness chains. Under new ownership, a fresh and ambitious global management team sought to create a valuable, differentiated brand that could motivate consumers, unify global markets, and drive sustained growth.

This article delves into the strategic rebrand journey led by Tim, Operations and HR Director for Asia, focusing on key objectives, challenges, initiatives, and outcomes.

The Fitness First global brand struggled due to:

• Aggressive Expansion: Overambitious global growth created financial stress.
• Market Disruption: The rise of low-cost fitness chains disrupted previously strong markets like Australia, the UK, and Europe.
• Brand Perception Issues: Negative press around rigid contracts and pricing strategies created uncertainty about the brand’s identity.

Asia, led by Tim and his team, remained stable throughout this period, focusing on operational consolidation and administrative optimization while waiting for the right moment to initiate growth. The rebrand was a golden opportunity to redefine the brand, improve internal culture, and leverage Asia’s strong foundation for global impact.

The rebrand delivered far-reaching benefits across the Fitness First Asia business, positioning the company as a stronger, more cohesive, and customer-centric brand. Key impacts included:

• Enhanced Market Position: Fitness First successfully reclaimed its position as a market leader in the fitness industry, supported by innovative digital products, signature fitness programs, and streamlined operations.

• Stronger Employee Engagement: The introduction of a robust Employee Value Proposition (EVP) significantly improved employee satisfaction, retention, and morale. Staff were better equipped to represent the brand’s values and deliver exceptional customer experiences.

• Operational Excellence: With the development of new training frameworks, certification programs, and talent management tools, Fitness First set new standards for employee capability and career progression. These initiatives ensured consistency in service delivery across all markets.

• Customer-Centric Innovations: By integrating a mobile CRM platform with on-premise digital fitness products, the company enhanced member experiences and drove customer engagement, directly contributing to member retention and acquisition.

• Brand Unity: A standardized approach to internal communications, property branding, and people development created a unified identity across regions, fostering collaboration and alignment with global objectives.

Tim’s leadership during the Fitness First Asia rebrand exemplified strategic vision, operational excellence, and people-focused innovation. He effectively navigated complex global challenges by aligning regional strategies with overarching global goals, fostering collaboration across international teams, and driving initiatives that transformed both employee and customer experiences. Through his focus on developing a strong Employee Value Proposition, establishing robust training frameworks, and enhancing internal communications, Tim empowered his teams to embody the brand’s values and deliver exceptional service. His ability to lead large-scale, cross-functional projects resulted in measurable improvements in employee engagement, customer retention, and operational efficiency, solidifying his reputation as a transformative leader in the fitness industry.