Overview
GNC, facing significant challenges due to dramatic changes in the retail industry and a series of product setbacks, unfortunately, filed for bankruptcy in 2020. This situation understandably strained franchise relationships, destabilized its consumer base and had a notable impact on many of the small and mid-sized communities where GNC operates, which relied on the presence of the company. Hiring 5W Digital to address the critical post-bankruptcy situation of GNC was crucial in rebuilding brand trust.
Strategy
GNC, facing significant challenges due to dramatic changes in the retail industry and a series of product setbacks, unfortunately, filed for bankruptcy in 2020. This situation understandably strained franchise relationships, destabilized its consumer base and had a notable impact on many of the small and mid-sized communities where GNC operates, which relied on the presence of the company. Hiring 5W Digital to address the critical post-bankruptcy situation of GNC was crucial in rebuilding brand trust.
Working directly with the CEO and CMO, the agency developed corporate position and messaging derivatives and then identified the right audiences, as well as individuals within those audiences. Although the target was primarily B2B-including franchise owners, brand partners, potential hires, local officials, and the media-we also reached targeted thought leaders who had a high degree of influence in the supplement and sports nutrition categories.
Different messages were shaped for each audience, strategically linked but with content salient to each, which were identified in LinkedIn outreach via a proprietary model that assessed weighted relevance and the size of individual influence networks, among other factors. This wad done for both GNC and its then-CEO's handles, creating a connected ecosystem of messaging, and raising the tide together.
Results
- 192% increase in followers within six months.
- 207% increase in engagements year over year.
- 2x industry average engagement rate.
