SoulCycle has been able to do the seemingly impossible—make sweating cool. By teaming up with top-name brands and wooing influencers and celebrities, the New York-based boutique chain of cycling studios has established itself as a mighty ally when it comes to events. Spencer Rice, 42, and Gabby Etrog Cohen, 35, are the company executives who keep those wheels in motion, so to speak, handling strategy and marketing for SoulCycle’s biggest activations, pop-ups, and partnerships.
Rice says there are several reasons why brands gravitate towards the flashy fitness company, but it’s mostly about the overall class experience. “Almost everyone walks out of class feeling better than they did walking in; it’s hard to manufacture that kind of positive, emotional connection with customers, and Soul offers a ready-made solution that’s consistent yet a little different every time.” Cohen echoes those thoughts, adding: “SoulCycle is a true experiential brand. I can spend hours telling you about the SoulCycle experience, but to really understand the brand you need to take a class and once you do it is transformative.”
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That natural, sweaty high has allowed Rice and Cohen to turn their events, which easily could be one-note, into an evolving part of the business. They work with big brands like Target and Spotify as well as record labels, artists, and local coffee shops to execute events, each with their own unique, well, spin.
In January, Target teamed up with SoulCycle to offer a 10-city tour that included free 45-minute classes taught by SoulCycle instructors. The Minneapolis-based retailer also sold an accompanying capsule collection in stores, with apparel featuring the SoulCycle logo as well as its own recognizable bull’s-eye. The collaboration allowed Target to expand further into the wellness market, while SoulCycle was able to reach a huge pool of potential riders.
And it’s the SoulCycle ridership base that might be the biggest selling point for brands. “Our riders are loyal and passionate evangelists,” says Rice. “We only partner with brands when we believe a partnership will make sense and add to the rider experience. So the brands we do partner with get an implicit stamp of approval, which can be incredibly valuable.”
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