How creator and celebrity-led content achieved results for Les Mills International
Luke Waldren: 'We're now building creator-led content into our always-on paid and organic content activity.'
The Choose Happy campaign for Les Mills on TikTok achieved a 53% ROI and 700% return on TikTok with a blend of organic and paid strategies that maximised and maintained the brand’s visibility.
The campaign for the international fitness brand, founded by Kiwi Olympic athlete Les Mills, is a finalist at this year’s TikTok Ad Awards in the Greatest Performance Campaign for it’s campaign, recognising how the brand leveraged the platform as a channel in its strategy.
"Don't underestimate the ability of TikTok to drive full-funnel impact... you will find that it drives some amazing results,” Luke Waldren, CCO of Les Mills International, said.
“We're now building creator-led content into our always-on paid and organic content activity.”
The opportunity to engage
Over the brand’s 50 years, it has dedicated itself to revolutionising the fitness industry, launching 22,000 clubs and 130,000 instructors who deliver workout programs in-person and online with its LES MILLS+ app, with flexible access to workouts and fitness programs.
Les Mills consistently shares content on TikTok for its more than 77,000 global followers, from exercise tips to behind-the-scenes content. The brand spotted the opportunity to engage with its community and boost awareness of the app.
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Engaging viewers with empowering fitness
To turn their engaged viewers into subscribers, Les Mills leveraged TikTok’s Spark Ads and Top-View Ads to ensure content of creators inspired curiosity and build trust with users.
Through its partnership with TikTok’s creator services (TikTok Creative Exchange and TikTok Creative Centre), Les Mills launched its Choose Happy campaign that celebrates the empowerment fitness brings and the brand’s position as a champion of positive movement.
Among the creators tapped to be part of the campaign were actors Taylor Lautner and Paul Wesley, and singer Pia Mia.
TikTok noted that this precedence of working with creators with bigger reach was set by previous campaigns as macro creators (with more than 100,000 followers) and celebrities drove better business because their larger, more engaged followers boosted visibility while their credibility and influence enhanced brand perception, leading to stronger conversion rates.
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ROI and nostalgia
The campaign’s presence on TikTok achieved conversions for Les Mills as well as developed future groundwork for future growth on the platform.
The creator content was also able to outperform traditional ads, with a 20% higher ROI across all funnel stages. TikTok noted that the success also resulted in increased investment into the platform from Les Mills to scale efforts and build on creator-led content into strategy.
The campaign also sparked organic conversations around fitness and wellness all over the world, further strengthening the brand’s reputation as a fun, empowering, and accessible.
In addition to ROI, increased brand awareness, the campaign sparked unexpected audience reaction and viral moments. Nostalgia was reignited for Twilight fans on Taylor Lautner’s posts, which led to engaging debates in the comments section between Team Jacob and Team Edward.
Lautner’s content also featured his wife Taylor, which gave an authentic insight into their relationship and real workout experience.
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Top image: Taylor Lautner, Pia Mia, Paul Wesley
