VML Wins Virgin Active Account

Virgin Active, one of the worlds leading international health club brands, is investing £2m to reimagine the end-to-end digital experience for its members.

The gym chain has appointed leading digital platform and communications agency VML to reinvent, design and deliver this brand new consumer experience, which will include a redesign and rebuild of its flagship website, industry leading members app, and in-gym device experience. Virgin Active has briefed VML to not only create and deliver a market leading, multi-platform digital experience but to usher in a paradigm shift along the entire customer journey, from an interested prospect to an engaged member, throughout the lifetime of their membership.

The launch of the new platform will coincide with the launch of Virgin Active’s first fully ‘connected’ health clubs in the UK, with digital technology built into every step of a member’s journey, from arrival, to the gym floor. Future phases of the experience will include highly personalised fitness planning, mobile training and workout features, as well as out of gym digital services and content.

The agency won the business following a pitch process managed direct by the client and that included AKQA, amongst others.

Andy Caddy, Group CIO at Virgin Active and Clare Gambardella, Chief Marketing Officer UK said: "Virgin Active are embarking on an exciting change in our digital customer journey to reflect the changing needs and habits of our customers as they become more mobile and more connected to technology in their fitness routines.

“As the UK’s market leading health club chain, our ambition is to provide our members with a digital experience that establishes us as the number one digital gym. To help us on this journey, we have engaged VML London as our agency partner. VML are aligned on our purpose and customer vision and their digital ambitions for the brand mirror our own. Together we are committed to building a first class digital presence to give members an experience online that matches the quality of our clubs.”

Chris Wood, Managing Director at VML London added: “We are delighted, possibly on the border of being over excited, about working with Virgin Active. We believe wholeheartedly in the customer proposition of 'Living Happily Ever Active', and love working with a brand and team at Virgin Active that is brimming with personality and energy.

“Most importantly though, there is the opportunity to use digital platforms and communications to enhance that customer proposition, delivering digital services within and outside the clubs that connects the customer to the brand, their own data and the wider health and fitness community. Our aim is to make digital a key competitive advantage for Virgin Active within the year, and we have the client, talent and appetite to do just that.”