With summer just around the corner, Shape launched its inaugural Bikini Body Tour to promote the magazine's swimsuit-focused annual fitness program, last month in Santa Monica, California. The all-day fitness event then headed east for its second and final stop Saturday in South Beach’s Lummus Park, where it attracted nearly 1,600 people.
“This new program is rooted in editorial content,” said Shape’s promotions director, John Balen. “Our five-part editorial series ‘Guide to Getting Swimsuit Ready’ has always resonated well with our readers and advertisers, and this tour brings that editorial to life, providing an interactive platform for sponsors to reach their target market.”
Chicago-based event production company Revolution orchestrated the daylong event, which took over 25,000 square feet of oceanfront park. Two tents—outfitted with fans that offered relief from the 92-degree heat—housed 15 fitness classes in more than 40 sessions taught by local trainers from event sponsor Equinox Fitness. The classes, priced at $10 each, included a swag bag filled with products from the 22 sponsors, including Olay, Pantene, and Tic Tac.
Starting at 11 a.m. and recurring four times throughout the day, a fashion show featuring designs by event sponsors OP and Lucy activewear took place on an S-shaped runway in the center of the space.
Five interactive cabanas—modeled after editorial sections in the magazine like Get Fit, Look Great, and Live Healthy—punctuated the event space. Shiseido sunscreen and Birkenstock footwear offered product demos, while EA Sports Active showcased its new Wii fitness program and the shared Sandals Resorts and Surfrider Foundation tent gave away prizes via its Spin-and-Win wheel game.
“This was the most successful program launch in the 30-year-old magazine’s history,” said Balen, referring to the number of sponsors and overall attendance of nearly 3,000. Balen has no plans for expanding the tour in 2010.
The money raised through ticket sales will be donated to Surfrider Foundation and the Skin Cancer Foundation.
