Pool and spa care franchise, Poolwerx, is undertaking a $1.7m media initiative with channel 9’s Australia’s Funniest Home Videos program, in order to enhance its brand image and awareness.

The company secured sponsorship of the “funniest pool moments” segment, which ran over summer and will continue throughout winter.

According to Poolwerx’s CEO, John O’Brien, this is something new in the industry, where up until now all pool and spa businesses have “hibernated” over the cooler months.

“Traditionally, the pool industry only advertised over summer,” he told Franchising. “Nobody has ever attempted winter marketing, but for us it’s about a couple of things. One is continuing to be top-of-mind for consumers so that when spring hits, you’re there. The other is that we have an obligation to our franchise owners to look at maintaining their cash flow and their sales through winter”.

The TV initiative, one of the franchise’s largest advertising pushes ever undertaken, has been complemented with radio, print and pay-TV advertising and editorial coverage, with promising results.

“Over summer we ran the Funniest Home Videos [initiative] along with those other elements and our brand awareness went from 21 per cent to 29 per cent, so this is a continuation of that,” O’Brien said.