Successful Marketing Strategy of American Branded Fitness Clubs in South Korea

The fitness club industry has experienced a big-bang phenomenon in South Korea. Vast interests and individual memberships at these clubs have exponentially grew, especially since the new millennium (Kim, Park & Jeon, 2000), largely due to the recent economic prosperity felt in Korea and the public’s increased levels of perception to health consciousness. While small scale and local fitness clubs experience difficulty in sustaining their operations, faced with numerous challenges, limitations and knowledge, the imported and branded clubs such as Bally Total Fitness and California Fitness Center are on a dominant path to success, adopting not only the brand to be reckoned with but also the management know-how. This study began by grasping this unique bipolar phenomenon of the conflict that exists between the imported, well branded fitness clubs and the small scale local clubs. This study employed a qualitative research method. A total of 16 participated in the in-depth interview, of which the first group of eight, four were employees at American branded fitness clubs and four were members at the clubs. The other group of eight interviewed was comprised of four employees at the small scale and local fitness clubs and four members at those clubs. This study concluded that the foundation for gaining popularity and business success at imported and well-branded fitness clubs such as Bally Total Fitness and California Fitness Center in Korea were influenced by four major factors. First, these fitness clubs adopted a marketing strategy that branded their clubs as being considered a rmulti-purpose spaces ’ (Kangis & Paas, 1997). These clubs thereby made it possible for the members to not only enjoy their workouts, but also to use the clubs as a meetin