Following our new philosophy, we are expanding our reach to target more people who have a need for health and wellness in their lives." (RedNova website, 2004) C. Point of difference - The crux of the brand's functional attributes or expertise e.g., what is the brand uniquely good at?)

The Bally Total Fitness campaign has a unique way of reaching consumers through down-to-earth advertisements. Furthermore, their unique combination of Dynamic Personal Training and Rapid Results Diet System and the new weight management program are all utilized in the creation of an individualized fitness regimen. In another customer-centric effort Red Nova reports that "Bally's in-house creative shop, RocketScience created the "Your Bally" campaign. RocketScience collaborated with Grupo Gallegos, a Long Beach, CA-based advertising agency, to develop the Spanish-language spots."(Red Nova website, 2004) The debut of the "Your Bally" campaign was December 26. Featured are four television advertisements, three in English and one in Spanish. All focus on health and fitness concerns of various consumers. Approaching customers through common every day matters such as dress size and junk food in the grocery cart and even a man struggling to fasten his pants after weight gain incorporated as the solution by Bally is both nutrition and exercise. (Red Nova, 2004)

II. Extended Identity

Personality -- the core of the brand personality.

The core of Bally Total Fitness in relation to the core of the brand personality is the 'total' scope of individual fitness.

Brand positioning - The unique position in the consumer's mind, based on differentiation vs. other brands in a defined competitive frame of reference.

While other fitness service company's may offer fitness comprehensively, the 'total' fitness claims of Bally are taken quite literally by consumers. Bally has positioned its brand...

Consumer Relationships
Functional benefits

Functional benefits include increased health status, feeling and looking better, having more enjoyment from life and all of this in conjunction with a company that really understands what it takes to become and stay fit.

Emotional benefits

The Bally Total Fitness regimen is user-friendly in terms of making the customer comprehend that Bally actually understands and is knowledgeable about the fitness needs of the customer leaving the customer feeling personally acknowledged and cared for.

Consumer/Brand relationship

In earlier years of the Bally Total Fitness Company the 'hard body' image was that which was purported to be optimal in terms of fitness. However upon the realization that that America was overweight and very unfit Bally decided to change its' branding strategy. The new strategy in branding seems to be much more effective drawing in the overweight and unfit consumers instead of scaring them away from what they perceived to be impossible and unattainable fitness goals.

Summary & Conclusion

While Bally Total Fitness certainly proceeded wrongly in attracting consumers in earlier years, it does appear that the company has advertising and consumer branding well within a reasonable scope towards the goal of new business and clientele generation.