Branded Entertainment continues to evolve from a model of passive, mass marketed messages being pushed to uncaring consumers to a “pull” model in which consumers are seeking out engaging and personalized experiences. Increasingly, Branded Entertainment is being delivered in multi-channel narratives to drive engagement. Data is beginning to play a central role in many of these stories.

The Pursuit is a great example of many of these principles in practice. Equinox’s new cycling program allows it to create branded content at scale that is always personalized using member data. At the end of each class, members share out beautiful, personalized cards that detail their performance in each of three separate games as well their overall performance over the course of the class.

The Pursuit is a multi-channel narrative that plays out across the in-class experience, on the Equinox platform and on social media.

We designed two motivational experiences that take data from studio bicycles and give riders real-time visualizations of performance. As they’re engaged in immersive games, their data is visible on the studio’s main screen (where they can compare their progress to that of the other riders) and their mobile device, where they can monitor their speed and power on the Equinox app. Class data is also shared with instructors on the an iPad, allowing them to coach the group more effectively. During every class, over 500,000 pieces of data are captured.

Before The Pursuit launched, member data collection was very manual. If a rider wanted to track their performance, they would need to record their total watts and speed after every class (using the Schwinn bike console) and analyze it for patterns of improvement. Now, this information is streamed to their second screen in real time, and automatically synced to their Equinox account after class. They can also more easily share their results socially.

Mobile technology has also assisted Equinox in training its less-experienced cycling instructors. To more effectively coach, they can use the real-time data that’s streamed on their iPad to better engage with riders and motivate the class.

Members are saying that they’re getting their best-ever cycling results, generating higher wattage and cycling farther than they do in Equinox’s signature cycling classes.