Club Industry Newsbeat, a Primedia offering reports that the New York Health & Racquet Club is attempting to go where guerrilla marketing has never gone before.
The upscale, trendy spa and fitness company has tapped the Night Agency to execute a onetime guerilla marketing initiative, "Ass-vertising," for the new class, Booty Call, according to the newsletter.
Consumer marketing, particularly in the spa and fitness sector, is geared to generating "Buzz" and "excitement," say industry experts. The health club and agency have found a way to get even blasé New Yorkers looking.
Calling there concept "Ass-vertising," they picture it as a" fun, irreverent form of marketing," involving putting a message on the seat of a pair of underwear, and targeting high-pedestrian areas. There, their "hand selected Night Agency brand ambassadors" reveal the message in a "mooning" fashion.
When asked to comment, the club referred to its statement by J. Travis, a brand manager who said, "This year New York Health & Racquet Clubs have been expanding into Long Island and other areas of Manhattan. In researching new agencies to help us create buzz for our new clubs, we discovered the Night Agency's previous work and were impressed with their innovative ideas and creativity."
Apparently, the process may work but is this approach one most small businesses can afford to take either monetarily or reputation-wise?
The answer is probably "no" but is food for thought.