Epic Rights, a full-service global merchandise, licensing and social media marketing company, has been named to represent the Hard Candy Fitness brand for Global Merchandising and Branding Programmes.
Hard Candy Fitness is a partnership between New Evolution Ventures, LLC, Madonna and her manager Guy Oseary. Epic Rights will develop and expand on the global merchandising and licensing rights for the brand. The announcement was made jointly today by Brent Leffel, President of Hard Candy Fitness, and Dell Furano, CEO of Epic Rights.
“Hard Candy Fitness is an exciting brand founded by Madonna and inspired by her passion for fitness and health. The campaign we are establishing for Hard Candy Fitness will align with Madonna’s dedication to personal excellence,” said Furano. “Currently the brand operates clubs in destination cities around the world and develops innovative group programming that integrates fitness, dance, music and entertainment elements that will be incorporated into our global plans for expansion. With Madonna about to begin an international concert tour, her visibility will be especially prominent as we move forward.”
Leading the day-to-day effort for Hard Candy Fitness is Dan Levin, who spearheads the Epic Rights Celebrity & Lifestyle division through its strategic alliance with Prominent Brand+Talent. Levin will oversee the development and implementation of the brand extension program. Epic Rights will present the Hard Candy Fitness brand to potential partners at the upcoming Licensing Expo in Las Vegas.
“As Madonna is to music, pop culture and fashion, we believe Hard Candy Fitness will be the pre-eminent symbol for a fit, healthy and luxury-infused lifestyle,” said Levin. “We will develop a global programme designed to complement the core Hard Candy Fitness brand elements – music, dance, entertainment, hard/harder/hardest workout mentality – to create a vast array of opportunities for consumer engagement,” said Levin.
Hard Candy Fitness was created in 2009 with Madonna, the world’s leading female pop icon and well-known fitness enthusiast, and New Evolution Ventures, the world’s leading operator and developer of fitness brands. Hard Candy Fitness club members enjoy an experience where entertainment and fitness intersect. The brand is best known for innovative group fitness programming, the best and most dynamic instructors and the unique fusion of entertainment, music, dance and fitness.
Hard Candy Fitness currently has club locations in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Santiago, Sydney, Mexico City, Rome, Berlin and Toronto.
