Australian celebrity fitness and nutrition app 28 By Sam Wood has appointed public relations and influencer agency Impact PR to lead its multi-channel launch in the New Zealand market.
The app has grown to be the largest of its kind, used by almost a million Australians to date. It was created by Melbourne-based Sam Wood, a celebrity personal trainer and former star of The Bachelor Australia.
The brand will make New Zealand its first international market and plans to expand into Europe, the US, and Canada.
The platform’s rapid growth led to its recent merger with a health technology firm in an AU$ 71 m deal.
Wood said boutique Auckland PR agency Impact PR NZ has been appointed to manage its influencer engagement strategy and strategic public relations campaigns within the New Zealand market.
He says the initial campaign results have been far beyond their expectations and suggests Kiwi consumers are rapid adopters of technology as a tool for addressing the same concerning rates of obesity that Australia is experiencing.
“PR has been a significant driver of our success in Australia to date and it will form a foundation for the development of our brand during our trans-Tasman expansion”.
“We were looking to partner with a specialist public relations and social media agency with an affinity for the tech, and health sectors and that had an approach that resonated with what we were trying to achieve as we launched in our first market outside of Australia,” he said.
Fleur Revell-Devlin, Impact PR founder, said the app’s combination of artificial intelligence (AI), app gamification, DNA profiling, and wearable tech is set to provide a new methodology to help fight the obesity epidemic and associated co-morbidities such as heart disease and diabetes.
She said Wood, who is also a best-selling author and has over 1.1 million followers on his social media platforms, has received international recognition for the app and his holistic and inclusive approach to health and fitness. “This technology has the potential to make a tangible difference in the lives of thousands of Kiwi and there is a significant alignment with our experience in the healthcare sector and the growth objectives of 28 by Sam Wood”.
Revell-Devlin said the nationwide marketing campaign will utilise public relations and influencer engagement to establish and build the brand throughout NZ. “We are looking to utilise earned media opportunities in print, broadcast and digital news titles and social media platforms to rapidly build organic awareness and encourage subscriptions of the app,” she said.
