From instructors into influencers: Equinox, Soulcycle look to spin sponsor gold with new talent agency
Equinox and Soulcycle both announced the opening of a talent management agency to represent their fitness talent for potential marketing opportunities.
Equinox and Soulcycle tag-team on new talent management agency to leverage starpower potential of instructors / Geert Pieters via Unsplash
The agency, advised by WME, has been created to assist the talent that work at Equinox fitness clubs and Soulcycle studios, with services ranging from social media development and follower growth to unlocking large-scale lifestyle sponsorship deals.
A statement said that the new management agency will transcend the Equinox and SoulCycle portfolios, ‘cultivate their brands, accelerate digital exposure’ to help their talent reach its fullest potential.
Equinox Group’s executive chairman and managing partner, Harvey Spevak, said:“While we have always been recognized for the impact that our talent has on our community, our fitness experts will become exponentially more influential with the creation of our talent agency.
“With our support, guidance and representation, our top talent can meaningfully grow their personal brands, develop key partnerships and ultimately generate additional income.”
Soulcycle chief Melanie Whelan added: “Our instructors are the heartbeat of our tribe. They act as motivational coaches, and the strong bonds they develop with our riders create transformational energy inside our studios. We look forward to supporting our world class talent both personally and professionally with this new initiative.”
Both fitness companies called this a talent growth opportunity, but it also plays into their respective marketing ambitions as well. Just last week, Equinox did a ‘first-of-its-kind’ stunt with Delta Air Lines, buying interactive billboard space nearby LAX to help encourage travelers to sweat off their jet lag. Soulcycle, for its part, has hired a trio of media execs to help launch its own bespoke media offerings.