Virgin Active appoints Connected Media as lead media agency for Australia

Independent agency Connected Media continues its strong new business run, being appointed by Virgin Active as its lead media agency in Australia following a competitive four-way pitch.

Connected Media will manage media strategy, planning, buying, optimisation and reporting for Virgin Active across all above-the-line and digital media channels.

Virgin Active launched its first Australian club in 2008 and has eight gyms in Sydney and one in Melbourne, including its new 2,500sqm social wellness club in Bondi Westfield, the first of its kind for Virgin Active globally, featuring the best in fitness, recovery, nutrition and social experiences. The club includes a large gym floor, classes including Reformer Pilates Tower and Lift Club, hydrotherapy spa, cold plunge, infrared and traditional saunas, recovery zones, co-working spaces and Ü Health Food Café.

Connected Media will drive sustained membership growth through lead generation, increasing the volume and quality of leads, while lifting brand awareness and deepening brand affinity.

During the pitch, Connected Media’s approach centred on detailed account and market analysis, including identifying audience overlap and media wastage, addressing messaging gaps and highlighting significant potential to personalise user experiences and applying intelligent business reporting, including AI-driven traffic insights.

Says Michelle Rolston, head of marketing, Virgin Active Australia: “Connected Media’s strategic approach was closely aligned to our own, demonstrating a clear understanding of our goals and target audience. They challenged us and brought fresh perspectives, backed by strong modelling methodology. We look forward to working with the team to accelerate Virgin Active’s market presence and communicating the benefits of our state-of-the-art social wellness clubs.”

Says Laura Hamod Barnes, founder and CEO, Connected Media: “We’re thrilled to be partnering with Virgin Active, especially through a referral from someone who has seen first-hand how we work. Much of our growth has come this way, and we take pride in the consistency of our pitch success. Virgin Active is an incredibly strong brand and we can’t wait to bring the expertise of our Connected Media team to their business.”

Virgin Active is the latest win for Connected Media and follows its appointment by the world’s largest interactive audio platform for children, tonies, to manage media planning and buying across Australia and New Zealand. Recently named as a finalist for this year’s Google Excellence Awards, the agency’s other clients include Sanitarium, Australian Institute of Management, Canon Australia, Skinstitut, SMAI, Luxaflex, Octet and Trend Micro.

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