The Little Gym Teams With Disney To Offer "Enchanted" Experiences

Posted on October 02, 2007 by Bill Dube

Nation’s Leading Children’s Fitness Franchise Heralds New Film with Thematic Classes, Promotions, Music and Trips to Los Angeles Premiere

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. – The Little Gym is proud to announce a strategic marketing collaboration with Walt Disney Pictures surrounding the release of Enchanted, a family-oriented fairy tale starring Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey and Susan Sarandon, due in theatres November 21.

A classic Disney animated fairy tale meets with the modern, live-action romantic comedy in Walt Disney Pictures’ Enchanted. Featuring an all-star cast, the film follows the beautiful princess Giselle (AMY ADAMS) as she is banished by an evil queen (SUSAN SARANDON) from her magical, musical animated land and finds herself in the gritty reality of the streets of modern-day Manhattan.  Shocked by this strange new environment that doesn’t operate on a “happily ever after” basis, Giselle is now adrift in a chaotic world badly in need of enchantment. But when Giselle begins to fall in love with a charmingly flawed divorce lawyer (PATRICK DEMPSEY) who has come to her aid -- even though she is already promised to a perfect fairy tale prince (JAMES MARSDEN) back home – she has to wonder:  can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world?  

The Little Gym will promote the upcoming release with a new national 30-second TV spot, a co-branded website and an enter-to-win sweepstakes that will send one lucky member family to attend the movie’s Los Angeles premiere. In addition, from October 1-6 The Little Gym franchises throughout the United States will replace their regularly scheduled gym programs with a series of special activities tied to the film. “Enchanted Week” will feature customized curricula (dialogue, exercises, games and activities) developed for each age group; specially selected “enchanted” music to accompany the classes; and ticket giveaways to see the movie locally.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for everyone involved with The Little Gym, from our corporate team to our franchise owners and of course, our members,” said CEO Bob Bingham. “’Enchanted’ is about making dreams come true. In our classes, we develop the physical, social, academic and emotional assets children will use throughout their lives to pursue their dreams. It is a distinct honor to be associated with a company that shares our passions, and we hope this campaign will be a successful first step toward a long-term relationship.”

The Little Gym is providing both national and robust local marketing and public relations support for the promotion. To help capture the spirit and excitement of the movie in their classes, the company has been distributing customized lesson plans, music and other materials to the owner-operators of its nearly 300 worldwide franchise locations via its corporate extranet, maximizing efficiency and ensuring accessibility throughout the promotion period.

Franchisees are being encouraged to outfitting their gyms with décor, activities and independent promotions and to enter their efforts in an “Enchant Your Gym” contest. A panel of judges consisting of Mr. Bingham and representatives from The Little Gym’s online marketing and advertising/public relations agencies will select the most elaborately executed program and reward the owner’s family with a trip to the movie’s Los Angeles premiere as well.

Delight Throughout The Kingdom

The “Enchanted” campaign was kept as a closely held secret until its unveiling in July by Mickey Mouse himself at The Little Gym’s “Reunion,” an annual gathering for all gym owners. The news was overwhelmingly embraced.

“People were on their feet screaming and applauding. We introduced the film, showed trailers and then had a 90-minute Q&A session. Since we came back from the Reunion, excitement over the promotion has exploded. Owners are calling me every 10 minutes asking questions and making suggestions,” said Karen Gray, Director of Marketing for The Little Gym.

 “This is an unprecedented period for us,” he said. “As the premier motor skills development program for young children and a leading franchise in the children’s fitness category, we wanted to partner with the best, and among family-oriented icons, Disney really is the best. We turned down other opportunities waiting for the right one to come along.”

About The Little Gym

The Little Gym was founded in 1976 by Robin Wes, an innovative educator with a genuine love for children, and is considered the premier developer of motor skills in children worldwide. The Little Gym International, Inc., was formed in 1992 to franchise The Little Gym concept. Today, The Little Gym International has more than 290 franchises in 17 countries.