For Immediate Release
Contact: Ian McRae
(212) 645-6900 x.113

NEW AD CAMPAIGN ACCEPTS THE NOTION THAT
PEOPLE COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES

DiMassimo Brand Advertising Creates Fully Integrated Campaign
Targeting Post-Holiday Guilt

New York, NY, December 17, 2003 – People come in all shapes and sizes. And whether you are shaped more like a circle, a square, or even a rhombus – a new ad campaign from Crunch Fitness, the country’s leading fitness and entertainment brand, in coordination with DiMassimo Brand Advertising shows that you can be happy no matter what shape you are.

A long-term survey from Psychology Today found that more than half of men and 75 percent of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. The campaign, launched today, asks prospective members to love their body, regardless of shape.

“Shapes” is a fully integrated marketing and advertising program intended to inspire those with insatiable holiday appetites to visit Crunch gyms and work off the extra holiday pounds in a guilt-free, comfortable way. The campaign is scheduled to run through the month of February and includes television and radio spots, print ads, direct marketing, outdoor advertising, window posters, in-gym displays and guerilla marketing. AMP1 Productions, who recently helped with the launch of ELLEgirl Magazine, handled production duties for the campaign.

The new campaign, which reinforces Crunch’s “No Judgment” philosophy, features edgy, but humorous print ads with various geometric shapes revealing their inner thoughts about their bodies. In one ad, a pink ellipse in a fitting room thinks, “You suck mirror. No way I’m this round.” Another ad features a red pentagon boasting that “a cute rectangle at the gym” checked out his “oblique angles.”

“People often think of gyms as environments where near-perfect bodies practice exhaustive exercise regimens,” explains Mark DiMassimo, founder and creative director at DiMassimo Brand Advertising. “We created ‘Shapes’ to generate buzz around Crunch and its unique offering of a non-traditional gym atmosphere where people can feel comfortable about the shape of their bodies.”

“We wanted DiMassimo to create a fun, innovative campaign that would motivate people to stick to their New Year’s resolutions,” said Candy Tree, marketing director at Crunch. “‘Shapes’ tells people to appreciate their bodies, while inviting them to enjoy a gym where they can exercise at their own pace and stay healthy.”

About Crunch:
Crunch Fitness“ (www.crunch.com) is a bold and vibrant expression of fitness, fashion, music, entertainment and style. Based in New York City, Crunch is one of the premier brands of Bally Total Fitness (NYSE: BFT). With 21 locations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta and Mission Viejo, Crunch has a philosophy of “no judgments” and an environment that warmly welcomes people from all walks of life, regardless of shape, size, sex or ability. Renowned for fusing fitness and entertainment, Crunch continually changes the way the world looks at exercise, creating programs like the “Firefighter Workout,” “Cardio Striptease” and “Cycle Karaoke.” The Crunch brand also incorporates original apparel and accessories for men and women, Crunch Magazine, chart-topping exercise videos, music compilation CDs and a lifestyle book series.

About DiMassimo Brand Advertising:
DiMassimo is one of the last great independent agencies which hasn't had to merge or close its doors in this time of slashed advertising budgets and fierce competition between industry giants. Instead they remain a true survivor, developing ideas that move business and winning new accounts in the past year including Instinet, Comcast and Pfizer. Additionally, DiMassimo has been able to retain key clients like Crunch and The Plaza Hotel. DiMassimo has survived one of the worst economic down turns in the history of the advertising industry. Additional information can be found at www.dimassimo.com.

AMP1 Productions:
AMP1 Productions Inc. offers a full range of entertainment art and advertising media production tailored to meet all client, creative, or specific production needs, including; film, photo, DVD, streaming video, live Web coverage, print production or events. AMP1 guides, facilitates and produces projects with an emphasis on cost efficiency and client satisfaction.