When Mars Athletic (MAC) opened its first club in Istanbul in 2007, the team had great ambitions for the brand. 15 years on, MAC is now the largest health club business in Turkey, with 99 clubs and over 240,000 members.
Its vision – to be recognised as a wellbeing community and not just a gym operator – remains at the heart of the brand, and is central to every decision made by the business, not least of all its choice of fitness equipment supplier.
“Our members are at the heart of our business and beyond membership, each member is part of our community,” explains Can Ikinci, CEO of Mars Athletic. “We’re aiming to be the starting point for a better life, mentally and physically, for our community, because we believe movement feeds the soul, even more so than the body. We embrace the diversity of our community and help them create new habits to create healthier and more active lifestyles.
“Our clubs are the primary touchpoints in which we achieve this and the unique experience we provide at our clubs is crucial. Our strategic partners are also a part of this experience, and their role is critical. Therefore, we take every step very carefully in choosing suppliers that believe in and can help us deliver our mission,” said Ikinci.
“Our collaboration with Life Fitness, which started in 2008, aligns well with this approach, and the Life Fitness equipment helps us create a unique experience in our clubs,” he said.
In addition, the new MAC+ app delivers a holistic fitness experience, offering members access to a digital fitness coach 24/7, whether in-club or at home.
Most recently, Mars Athletic introduced the ICG Connect System, a studio-based indoor cycling concept that uses riders’ data to create unique group cycling experiences.
“With ICG Connect, we wanted to expand the boundaries of what we provide to our community; the real-world ride videos, individual and team races, access to performance data and gamification elements are all features that have really elevated our group cycling offering,” says Ikinci.
“The class energy has reached new levels and our participant numbers are higher than ever; member feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Every day, we’re becoming an irreplaceable friend for our members, bringing together like-minded individuals to engage and inspire each other for a stronger community. We see each of our members as unique individuals, and try to understand their diverse needs to create bespoke experiences – this philosophy is matched perfectly by both companies’ approach.” says Ikinci.
