Inside Barry’s Community-First Approach and How It Organically Forms Brand Partnerships

Founded in 1998 in Los Angeles, the fitness brand Barry’s now has 89 studios open in 15 countries.

Jackie Lamping became the company’s CMO in September, with the task of enhancing the company’s global marketing strategy and managing digital marketing and community outreach inside the brand’s studios. Lamping herself is a longtime Barry’s customer and has taken more than 1,600 classes.

In addition to marketing the in-person classes, Lamping is also responsible for promoting Barry’s digital classes that are available through an app called Barry’s X.

ADWEEK spoke with Lamping about the company’s commitment to its community and how Barry’s partners with celebrities like Dua Lipa.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and brevity.

ADWEEK: What are some ways Barry’s is honing community-first marketing?

Jackie Lamping: I think of the Barry’s brand as something built through every interaction with every client over time.

Right now, I’m still in 2024 mode as we review December’s results. We just wrapped a major holiday sale, and while it only lasts a week, it works because we’ve built trust with our community every day leading up to it. We simply turn the sale on—it’s not the core of our culture. We aren’t a sales-driven company. Our approach is more, “Here’s the product. We think it’s great, but if it’s not for you, that’s fine.”

That approach works because the product is designed with intention. It delivers real results while fostering a social experience. Clients get the physical benefits, the excitement of working out with their favorite trainers and friends, and the mood boost that comes with it. The magic of Barry’s, especially the energy of the Red Room, is something you can’t replicate.

As we move into the new year, our campaign, Find Your Strength, is both a challenge and a way to engage new clients while re-inspiring longtime ones.

As a Barry’s client for the past 10 years, I’ve always been obsessed with the workout and the brand, but I hadn’t thought about the marketing challenge of keeping long-term clients engaged while welcoming new ones.

We have incredibly high retention—45% of today’s revenue comes from clients who were with us before the Covid-19 pandemic. That loyalty means every new campaign, like Find Your Strength, needs to feel fresh and exciting for longtime members while remaining accessible and motivating for first-timers.

We also consider how to reward participation. Barry’s clients are highly self-motivated—they show up because they love it, and it’s part of their routine. But we like to add something extra—like a prize that builds community.

This year, our 10-class challenge prize is an exclusive water bottle that can’t be purchased and won’t be offered again. If you see someone with it, you know they completed the challenge. That shared experience is something we love to foster.

Barry’s has worked with different brands like Lalo Tequila and celebrities like Dua Lipa. How did those come about?

One of the most exciting parts of interviewing at Barry’s was hearing directly from CEO Joey Gonzalez about the brand’s approach to marketing. He shared that Barry’s is an aspirational brand, and many companies want to align with our momentum. Interestingly, we don’t actively broker most of our partnerships. They come to us organically.

While we’re a fitness company, we don’t operate in a restrictive or extreme wellness space. We’re not about strict diets or saying alcohol is off-limits. That was something I initially wondered about when joining: Would the holiday party at a fitness brand be dry? But that’s not our culture at all. In fact, partnering with an alcohol brand is something we can do in a way that not every fitness brand can.

Celebrity collaborations are another unique aspect of our marketing strategy. We’re proud to say we’ve never paid a celebrity to represent us, post about us, or promote Barry’s—it all happens organically. For example, when I saw Dua Lipa posting about Barry’s three times in January, I assumed it was a paid partnership. It wasn’t—she’s a client who loves the brand. We reached out to her team to support her new single, “Training Season,” by creating a custom shake and themed classes, all without any money exchanged.

This organic approach gives us a huge advantage over the competition. When people see what we’re doing externally, they assume we’re spending a massive budget on advertising. But in reality, we’re spending about one-tenth of what they’d expect. A lot of what we do comes down to strong relationships, and that’s what sets Barry’s apart.

Do you feel the need to lean into one social platform over another amidst the TikTok ban news?

Looking at our demographics, the average client age in 2024 was 31, gradually decreasing from around 34 five years ago. While our audience is getting younger, it’s not primarily in the teen or early 20s demographic.

That said, we have incredibly talented social media marketers who stay on top of the latest trends, and I rely on them to keep me in the loop.

Are there any predictions in the health and wellness space that you think we’ll be seeing more of in 2025?

Many competitors have come and gone, often fading quickly, and we’ll likely see some consolidation. One of the most notable trends in recent years has been the rise of reformer Pilates, which has taken off for good reason.

I believe there will be a return to tried-and-true workouts—ones that people enjoy, that deliver results, and that provide both physical and mental benefits. With Barry’s, you see the changes in your physique, feel the mood boost, and gain the energy to tackle your day.

What can we expect from Barry’s ahead this year?

One thing I can share is that we’re back in growth mode. We’re opening more studio locations this year—at least double what we did in 2024. It will be our biggest year since the pandemic, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.