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    • Close-up of black gym dumbbells on a rack with a branded sticker featuring a QR code. The sticker invites fitness trainers to join a community, linking physical gym equipment with digital recruitment through scannable, eye-catching design.A large digital screen mounted on a blue gym wall displays a group chat interface promoting The Gym Group. Dumbbells sit below the screen while a blurred gym-goer passes, reinforcing an active gym environment and peer-led career messaging.A freestanding digital screen near an escalator displays a group chat interface promoting The Gym Group community. Blurred commuters move past, highlighting high-traffic placement and blending digital recruitment messaging into a fast-paced public environment.A person in gym clothing sits on a blue exercise mat holding a smartphone. On the screen, an Instagram-style message conversation promotes The Gym Group community, showing supportive messages and career-focused content designed for mobile, social engagement.Blue metal gym lockers feature a small branded sticker with a QR code and recruitment message. Motion blur from passing gym users suggests a busy environment, while the placement integrates career messaging naturally into everyday locker room spaces.

    A hiring heavy lift WITH THE GYM GROUP

    A hiring heavy lift WITH THE GYM GROUP

    A hiring heavy lift WITH THE GYM GROUP

    A hiring heavy lift WITH THE GYM GROUP

    Services

    • Recruitment Marketing
    • Careers Website

    Impressions

    Increase in YoY applications

    Increase in applications per open role

    The Gym Group came to us with a challenge the whole industry was feeling. Level 3 qualified personal trainers were hard to find, and even harder to attract at scale.

    Together, we set out to do something bolder than a standard recruitment push. By combining deep research, disruptive creative and a fully integrated paid and in-gym campaign, we helped The Gym Group stand out, show up in the right places, and convert attention into high-quality hires - even with fewer roles live.

    STANDING OUT IN A CROWDED FITNESS MARKET TO LEVEL 3 PERSONAL TRAINERS

    The fitness industry is competitive, saturated and noisy. For qualified personal trainers, opportunities are everywhere, and with the ease and attractiveness of being self-employed, few employers truly stand out.

    The Gym Group needed to change that perception. Not with louder ads, but with a smarter, more human approach that showcased real community, real support and real career progression.

    A person in gym clothing sits on a blue exercise mat holding a smartphone. On the screen, an Instagram-style message conversation promotes The Gym Group community, showing supportive messages and career-focused content designed for mobile, social engagement.

    A new personal best

    Despite having 50 fewer roles live year-on-year, the campaign delivered a 62% increase in applications and a significant uplift in hires.

    By combining physical and digital touchpoints, optimising in real time and streamlining the application journey, we attracted higher-quality talent and converted interest into action at scale.

    Impressions

    Ad clicks

    Applications

    Increase in applications YoY

    Hires and offers

    Increase in applications per open role

    Turning insight into impact

    We started with research. Deep dives into careers site data, ATS performance and market behaviour helped us understand exactly how Level 3 personal trainers search, think and decide. We validated our findings through a focus group with existing trainers, pressure-testing messaging and creative before taking anything to market.

    That insight revealed what genuinely sets The Gym Group apart. A true community feel. Supportive managers who help trainers build their client base. Clear progression pathways beyond the gym floor. And a varied client base that keeps the role dynamic and rewarding. These pillars became the foundation of the campaign.

    From there, we built an integrated strategy that lived both online and offline. Paid media launched across LinkedIn and Meta, with creative tailored to different stages of the candidate journey. Early performance data showed Meta significantly outperforming benchmarks, so we shifted spend quickly to maximise results.

    Alongside paid social, we activated the gym environment itself. Posters, stickers and digital screens placed PT recruitment messaging directly into trainers’ everyday workspace. Static assets in high-traffic zones encouraged QR scans, driving candidates straight to a purpose-built landing page.

    A large digital screen mounted on a blue gym wall displays a group chat interface promoting The Gym Group. Dumbbells sit below the screen while a blurred gym-goer passes, reinforcing an active gym environment and peer-led career messaging.Close-up of black gym dumbbells on a rack with a branded sticker featuring a QR code. The sticker invites fitness trainers to join a community, linking physical gym equipment with digital recruitment through scannable, eye-catching design.Blue metal gym lockers feature a small branded sticker with a QR code and recruitment message. Motion blur from passing gym users suggests a busy environment, while the placement integrates career messaging naturally into everyday locker room spaces.

    That landing page was designed for speed and clarity. Visitors spent an average of just six seconds before taking action, resulting in a 29% apply-now conversion rate.

    Retargeting played a crucial role in driving final conversion. By tapping into the “New Year, New Me” mindset, we re-engaged talent who had already interacted with the campaign and gave them the final nudge to apply. These ads delivered click-through rates more than three times the industry benchmark.

    Throughout the campaign, we tracked every step of the journey — from impression to application to hire — allowing us to optimise continuously and clearly demonstrate impact. The result was a recruitment campaign that delivered meaningful, measurable results where it mattered most. More applications. Stronger hires. And a clearer position for The Gym Group as an employer of choice for Level 3 personal trainers.

    To talk to us about this case study,
    get in touch

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