Ultra Academia launches mascot Preguicildo to revamp fitness branding

Brazilian gym chain Ultra Academia has adopted a new mascot, Preguicildo, to shift its communication from a pressure‑filled tone to one of welcoming identification. CMO and co‑founder Ivete Gama explained that the character replaces messages like “beat laziness” with “everyone feels lazy – and that’s okay.” The mascot appears in social‑media videos, on‑site activations and internal campaigns, helping normalize everyday fitness hurdles.

Research cited by the chain shows that campaigns using mascots have a 34.1% chance of increasing profit versus 26.2% for those without, and improve per‑client earnings by 27%. Internal surveys report more than 99% customer approval and a 25% higher share of members over 45 compared with market averages, indicating the strategy is boosting both engagement and demographic reach.

The move follows a broader market trend of brands employing characters to create identity, proximity and stronger consumer connections.