REEBOK & CIRQUE DU SOLEIL LAUNCH INNOVATIVE GYM WORKOUT FOR WOMEN – JUKARI Fit to Fly
The Groundbreaking Partnership also includes a Striking New Product Range
CANTON, MA (February 25, 2009) – In 1989, Reebok revolutionized women’s fitness with the creation of Step Reebok. Today, the company revealed its new intentions with the launch of an innovative gym workout - JUKARI Fit to Fly. The workout is the first in a series of initiatives to come out of a new, long-term partnership with globally renowned entertainment company, Cirque du Soleil.
JUKARI Fit to Fly makes fitness fun again by introducing a new way to move in a gym workout and is accessible to all women, regardless of fitness levels. The hour-long workout has been created on a specially-designed piece of equipment called the FlySet. The result is a workout that gives the sensation of flying while strengthening and lengthening the body through cardio, strength, balance and core training.
The class will launch in top gyms in twelve cities around the world including Hong Kong, Mexico City, Madrid, London, Krakow, Munich, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Montreal and Los Angeles.
The Reebok-Cirque du Soleil partnership and JUKARI Fit to Fly workout are the direct result of insights into what women really want from exercise. A survey of 15,000 women across 25 countries in 2008 found that while nearly half of all women know that exercise and keeping fit is very important to their overall health, less than 25% participate in fitness often. Specially-commissioned Reebok research looked at why this might be. The findings showed that nearly two thirds (61%) of all women would workout more if it was more fun. More than half (54%) felt exercise was a chore.
Says Katrin Ley, Head of Womens at Reebok, “These insights proved women perceived exercise as a chore, were unmotivated and uninspired to exercise but would workout more often if the gym was fun. The combination of Reebok’s heritage in women’s fitness and the fun, excitement and innovation that Cirque du Soleil brings to their craft meant that we are in a unique position to provide a solution to this need. The result is a whole new way to move through the JUKARI Fit to Fly workout and a new range of products to wear, designed specifically for women.”
THE REEBOK & CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PARTNERSHIP
In early 2008, the two brands came together with a single objective – make fitness fun again for women. They embarked on a journey to create an inspirational workout that would shake up and invigorate a woman’s gym routine. After eight months of development and rigorous testing JUKARI Fit to Fly was ready.
Says Uli Becker, President of Reebok, “Reebok has a strong history in women’s fitness, and Cirque du Soleil is world renowned for creativity and innovation. Together, the combination of our unique DNA creates a first-of-its-kind partnership to change the way women experience the gym.”
Says Mario D’Amico, CMO at Cirque du Soleil, “This partnership is the perfect fit. Reebok understands what women want from fitness and what products work best, while our performers are renowned for their athleticism, choreography and artistic flair. The challenge to bring these two skill-sets together to create a new gym workout was very exciting for us.”
THE JUKARI Fit To Fly WORKOUT
JUKARI Fit to Fly isn’t just fun to take part in, it is an effective hour-long total body workout of cardio, strength, balance and core training. A trained instructor guides a class of up to 12 people through the workout moves using the FlySet. The FlySet hangs from the gym ceiling and has been designed specifically for JUKARI Fit to Fly.
The FlySet consists of a durable three-stranded rope fixed to the ceiling with a 360 degree swivel point at an adjustable length with two attachment loops. The FlyBar, a 4.5lb neoprene coated attachable steel bar, is placed through the two loops, which can be varied in height, to create an apparatus that strengthens and lengthens the body as you experience the sensation of flying during the workout.
Leslie Calvagne, Reebok’s Training Director for JUKARI Fit to Fly, worked with Cirque du Soleil for 12 months to create the workout and the equipment. She said “We set ourselves the task of creating the ‘smile while you’re sweating’ workout and the hundreds of women who have already taken this class tell us we have succeeded. JUKARI Fit to Fly is a head-to-toe workout that is new, different and above all, fun. Working with Cirque du Soleil has been an incredible experience and we are delighted with the result. As are our gym partners around the globe who have seen it, tried it and will be launching it to their members this year.”
As the creative inspiration behind the project, Cirque du Soleil played a crucial role in creating the class. As Lyn Heward, Creative Director of the Reebok- Cirque du Soleil program, says, “From day one, we committed to making sure every move would be inspired by real moves Cirque du Soleil artists do as part of their shows. Anyone taking the JUKARI Fit to Fly class must leave it feeling as if they had experienced something different and with that Cirque du Soleil flair. The skill came in adapting and testing these moves so that they felt real but at the same time easily accessible for anyone.”
THE PRODUCT
To complement JUKARI Fit to Fly, Reebok has also created two collections of women’s fitness apparel and footwear – On the Move and the Reebok-Cirque du Soleil collection.
Both consist of product which can be worn for a range of fitness disciplines, from running to yoga, JUKARI Fit to Fly to tennis. All have been developed and designed with a deep understanding and knowledge of the unique way a woman’s body moves.
Reebok’s Head of Women’s Apparel Michele Slobin led the Womens Product Creation team and said, “The Reebok On the Move and Reebok- Cirque du Soleil collections provide women with a high level of performance without sacrificing any attention to style and detail. The collections contain versatile pieces that can be mixed and matched together or integrated into every woman’s daily wardrobe, providing a fashionable and contemporary fitness range that can be worn both in and out of the gym.”
GLOBAL MARKETING SUPPORT
The launch of JUKARI Fit to Fly will be supported by a global integrated marketing campaign throughout 2009. Running online, outdoor, in store and in print in key markets worldwide, the campaign will feature JUKARI Fit to Fly action imagery and Reebok On The Move and Reebok Cirque du Soleil apparel and footwear.
1. Reebok International Ltd., headquartered in Canton, MA, USA, is a leading worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of sports, fitness and casual footwear, apparel and equipment. A subsidiary of the adidas Group, the company operates under the multiple divisions of the Reebok brand, Reebok-CCM Hockey and the Sports Licensed Division. For more information, visit Reebok at www.reebok.com and www.reebok.com/women.
2. Cirque du Soleil is primarily a creative content provider for a wide variety of unique projects. In addition to shows, the company, which has its International Headquarters in Montreal, extends its creative talent to other spheres of activity. While maintaining stringent standards of artistic quality and originality, Cirque du Soleil brings to innovative projects the same energy and spirit that characterize each of its shows.
Cirque du Soleil is a Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. Since its beginnings in 1984, almost 80 million spectators in over 200 cities on five continents have been thrilled by Cirque du Soleil. In 2008, 17 shows will simultaneously be presented around the world. Cirque du Soleil has been the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Emmy, Drama Desk, Bambi, ACE, Gémeaux, Félix and Rose d’Or de Montreux.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.
To find out more about the One Drop Foundation, visit www.onedrop.org.
Sources: GFK/Roper Worldwide survey of 15,000 women in 25 countries & Omnibus Survey of 2,864 women across US, UK & China
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