Cirque du Soleil has teamed with sporting goods giant Reebok to launch a new worldwide gym fitness program for women that includes three locations in Montreal.
The workout program, which includes a trapeze, was designed by Cirque, while Reebok is using its expertise in gym products and clothing to market the “Jukari Fit to Fly” initiative. Jukari means “To play” in Sicilian.
The program aims to eliminate the boredom women often associate with exercise regimes by incorporating Cirque’s trademark artistry and movement, explained Mario D’Amico, Cirque du Soleil’s vice-president of marketing.
“A Reebok study revealed more women would become involved in fitness if it was more fun and artistic, so we’re promoting it as ‘Sweat with a smile’,” said D’Amico.
Because women are the major purchasers of Cirque tickets, the partnership with Reebok is a good way to grow the brand, he added.
“Reebok has stores and products worldwide, and this agreement, which includes a licensing component for clothing, opens up a whole new world for us.”
For Reebok, the partnership with Cirque allows it to reconnect with female consumers, a market it “totally owned in the mid-’80s,” according to Reebok Canada Daniel Gervais.
“We lost that connection in the last five to eight years as the brand took too many different directions, like getting heavily into hip-hop products.”
In Canada, the program will be marketed through print and web-based ads created by Newad, Gervais said.
