Unilever’s Degree is calling out the fitness industry in a full-page ad in the Sunday New York Times, citing a survey showing 81% of people with disabilities don’t feel welcome at fitness centers.
The ad from Edelman goes on to announce a new program called TrainersForHire.com to assemble athletes with disabilities who are ready to work with fitness centers to make them more inclusive. The campaign includes mobile, out-of-home billboards and personal notes to executives at major fitness brands, culminating in an event Tuesday in which American Paralympian Blake Leeper will lead pop-up cycling classes in New York City’s Flatiron District alongside other disabled athletes and fitness-industry hiring managers.
“People with disabilities feel judged, and when you dig deeper into that, movement spaces are one of the biggest areas where people feel vulnerable,” says Kathryn Swallow, global brand VP of Degree and global sibling Rexona, which is also pursuing the “Watch Me Move” initiative in Europe.