McDonald’s and WithU Collab Boosted Fitness App Sign-Ups 297%

Audio-based fitness app WithU says its promotion with McDonald’s has driven new users to its app and reveals that unlikely collaborations can spark interest in fitness

What happens if a fitness app and fast food giant McDonald’s team up? WithU, an audio-guided fitness app, has the answer—it drove new app sign-ups by 297%.

The audio-guided fitness app collaborated with McDonald’s to become a prize partner in the fast food chain’s Power Peel promotion (which ran from September 4, 2024, to October 15, 2024), where McDonald’s Monopoly players in the U.K. could win a three-month trial of the WithU fitness app.

The unique partnership paid off. In addition to driving sign-ups by nearly 300%, 95% of those who redeemed a WithU code continued to create an account. Most interestingly, the promotion has resonated with fitness newcomers, as WithU says beginner-level workouts accounted for over 83% of the workouts completed by new members who joined via the promotion.

“At WithU, we actively challenge the all-or-nothing approach to fitness often seen in the industry, and we always strive to do things a little differently,” WithU CMO and co-founder Kaleigh Scott said.

While Scott acknowledges that partnering with a fast food brand may seem unlikely for a fitness app, she suggests the results are a key indicator of an untapped market.

“The high conversion rate and surge in WithU sign-ups resulting from this promotion proves that there is a significant target customer segment that seek to prioritize their health and fitness whilst still enjoying life,” she added.

“This partnership with one of the U.K.’s largest and most well-loved consumer loyalty marketing campaigns presented us with a unique opportunity to increase exposure amongst a diverse and large customer base, some of which for the first time. It’s therefore particularly encouraging to see that this promotion has so successfully connected with a large beginner-level cohort of customers as we make positive strides towards our mission to empower the world to choose fitness.”

WithU offers both a free version and paid membership. The app features over 1,500 audio workouts.