PRWeek UK understands Les Mills has appointed Pitch Marketing Group on a six-figure retainer after a five-way competitive pitch.
The integrated comms agency has been hired to develop a centralised global strategy and campaigns targeting international markets where the brand wants to grow, including the US and EMEA.
As part of the remit, PR and digital comms campaigns will be developed to showcase the fitness brand’s workouts, digital offerings and instructors, focusing on established training options such as BodyPump and BodyCombat and new interactive experiences.
Pitch’s day-to-day comms activity will support the overarching brand platform and be supplemented with key brand events such as Les Mills Live.
A core focus for Pitch will be to increase engagement among Gen Z audiences by providing culturally relevant experiences and activations. There will also be a focus on driving comms around Les Mills’ partnerships with Adidas and Meta.
Lucy Hutchinson, head of PR at Pitch, will lead on the account. She said: “We are buzzing to win such a high-energy account with a genuinely ambitious brand like Les Mills.
“Historically Pitch is well known for our work in the sport, fitness and lifestyle space, so when we had an opportunity to work with a brand whose entire mission is to create a fitter planet we jumped at the chance and ran with it.
“Les Mills has shown a real commitment to driving change in the fitness space, and with the cutting-edge tech innovations and the exciting brand partnerships they have in the mix this is a ripe opportunity for brilliant comms campaigns.”
Jak Phillips, global director of content, PR and growth marketing at Les Mills, added: “Upon first meeting the Pitch team, they stood out to us in terms of their passion and drive. They showed great creativity throughout the pitch process, and we’re looking forward to seeing where this partnership will take us at a pivotal time for Les Mills.
“We’re on a very positive trajectory with some exciting plans ahead, and Pitch feels like the right partner to help accelerate that journey – our values closely align, and they’ve demonstrated a great grip on cultural relevance and a commitment to creating work that changes perceptions and behaviours.”
Previously, Action Global held the Les Mills account for eight years. The agency was contacted by PRWeek but declined to comment.
Since becoming a 100 per cent employee-owned agency at the beginning of 2023, Pitch has won communications briefs from EA Sports, Cannaray, Auto Trader and NatWest.
In February, Pitch appointed its first ECD, who joined after nearly two years at M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment.