Jared Fogle
Encyclopedia
Jared S. Fogle also known as The Subway Guy, is a spokesman
employed by Subway Restaurants
in its advertising campaign
s. He is known for his significant weight loss, now known as the "Subway diet", attributed to eating Subway sandwiches, which led to his role promoting the company.
about Fogle's weight loss. Men's Health
magazine confirmed the story and included the "Subway sandwich diet" in an article, "Stupid Diets. . . that Work!" According to the article, Fogle had become obese by eating junk food and not exercising. Switching to eating at Subway, he changed his eating habits there to include healthier choices and smaller portions free of fattening condiments such as mayonnaise, which was followed by his significant weight loss. A Chicago
-area Subway franchisee took the idea to Subway's Chicago advertising agency. The agency confirmed the story by visiting a Subway franchise near the Indiana University campus, where the staff identified him from his description.
Subway's marketing director expressed doubt that a fast food chain could successfully promote healthfulness as a marketing vehicle. The chain's lawyers also expressed concern that there would be liability issues with promoting some sort of informal medical claim. As a test, they ran a regional ad campaign. The first spot aired on January 1, 2000, introducing Fogle and his story, complete with a disclaimer: "The Subway diet, combined with a lot of walking, worked for Jared. We're not saying this is for everyone. You should check with your doctor before starting any diet program. But it worked for Jared."
The commercial was successful, and the Chicago ad agency began receiving calls from USA Today
, ABC News
, Fox News, and Oprah
. The spot then aired nationally, and was followed by sale increases for the chain in 2000 and 2001.
Subway has used Fogle in a number of television commercials and sponsored in-store appearances throughout the United States. Fogle spoke at the grand opening of the first Kosher Subway in Cleveland.
In addition to his work directly for Subway, Fogle gives regular talks on fitness and healthy eating. Since Fogle's advertising campaign began, Subway sales have more than doubled to $8.2 billion, though the portion of the gain attributable to Fogle and his more than 50 Subway commercials cannot be determined. In 2008, a Subway campaign celebrated Fogle's maintaining his weight loss for a full decade, with Fogle's announcement that he would retire his old pair of 62 inches (1.6 m) pants likely to a museum after a final, "Tour de Pants", a humorous reference to the Tour de France
.
According to one Subway executive, a brief departure from Fogle in 2005 coincided with a 10 percent drop in sales, until Subway felt compelled to bring him back. Although he still advertises for Subway, Fogle's presence in advertisements has diminished greatly since 2008 due to the company placing more emphasis on its popular "$5 Footlong
" promotion as opposed to nutritional value.
In January 2010, People
magazine reported that Fogle had gained weight but was planning to re-start his weight-loss program to stop the backslide and slim up for his wedding in the summer. He appeared in a Winter-Olympics themed Subway commercial with Michael Phelps
in which his weight was obscured by a heavy winter coat.
On November 7, 2010, Fogle completed the New York City Marathon
in 5 hours, 13 minutes and 28 seconds. Jared, wearing bib number 57-459, finished in 36,968th place out of 44,829 runners who finished the race.
Spokesman
A spokesperson or spokesman or spokeswoman is someone engaged or elected to speak on behalf of others.In the present media-sensitive world, many organizations are increasingly likely to employ professionals who have received formal training in journalism, communications, public relations and...
employed by Subway Restaurants
Subway (restaurant)
Subway is an American restaurant franchise that primarily sells submarine sandwiches and salads. It is owned and operated by Doctor's Associates, Inc. . Subway is one of the fastest growing franchises in the world with 35,519 restaurants in 98 countries and territories as of October 25th, 2011...
in its advertising campaign
Advertising campaign
An advertising campaign is a series of advertisement messages that share a single idea and theme which make up an integrated marketing communication...
s. He is known for his significant weight loss, now known as the "Subway diet", attributed to eating Subway sandwiches, which led to his role promoting the company.
Subway campaign
Fogle first came to media attention in April 1999, after Ryan Coleman, a former dormmate of Fogle, ran into him and hardly recognized him because of the lost weight, and wrote an article for Indiana Daily StudentIndiana Daily Student
The Indiana Daily Student is an independent, student-run newspaper that has been published for the community of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana since 1867. The IDS is free and distributed throughout the campus and city.- Circulation :...
about Fogle's weight loss. Men's Health
Men's Health (magazine)
Men's Health , published by Rodale Inc. in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, United States, is the world’s largest men’s magazine brand, with 44 editions around the world. It is also the best-selling men's magazine on U.S. newsstands. It covers fitness, nutrition, sexuality, lifestyle and other aspects of...
magazine confirmed the story and included the "Subway sandwich diet" in an article, "Stupid Diets. . . that Work!" According to the article, Fogle had become obese by eating junk food and not exercising. Switching to eating at Subway, he changed his eating habits there to include healthier choices and smaller portions free of fattening condiments such as mayonnaise, which was followed by his significant weight loss. A Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
-area Subway franchisee took the idea to Subway's Chicago advertising agency. The agency confirmed the story by visiting a Subway franchise near the Indiana University campus, where the staff identified him from his description.
Subway's marketing director expressed doubt that a fast food chain could successfully promote healthfulness as a marketing vehicle. The chain's lawyers also expressed concern that there would be liability issues with promoting some sort of informal medical claim. As a test, they ran a regional ad campaign. The first spot aired on January 1, 2000, introducing Fogle and his story, complete with a disclaimer: "The Subway diet, combined with a lot of walking, worked for Jared. We're not saying this is for everyone. You should check with your doctor before starting any diet program. But it worked for Jared."
The commercial was successful, and the Chicago ad agency began receiving calls from USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
, ABC News
ABC News
ABC News is the news gathering and broadcasting division of American broadcast television network ABC, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company...
, Fox News, and Oprah
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
. The spot then aired nationally, and was followed by sale increases for the chain in 2000 and 2001.
Subway has used Fogle in a number of television commercials and sponsored in-store appearances throughout the United States. Fogle spoke at the grand opening of the first Kosher Subway in Cleveland.
In addition to his work directly for Subway, Fogle gives regular talks on fitness and healthy eating. Since Fogle's advertising campaign began, Subway sales have more than doubled to $8.2 billion, though the portion of the gain attributable to Fogle and his more than 50 Subway commercials cannot be determined. In 2008, a Subway campaign celebrated Fogle's maintaining his weight loss for a full decade, with Fogle's announcement that he would retire his old pair of 62 inches (1.6 m) pants likely to a museum after a final, "Tour de Pants", a humorous reference to the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
.
According to one Subway executive, a brief departure from Fogle in 2005 coincided with a 10 percent drop in sales, until Subway felt compelled to bring him back. Although he still advertises for Subway, Fogle's presence in advertisements has diminished greatly since 2008 due to the company placing more emphasis on its popular "$5 Footlong
Subway $5 footlong promotion
The Subway $5 footlong promotion is an ongoing promotion by the fast food restaurant chain Subway, which was launched in the United States in 2008 by offering footlong subs for US$5. Coinciding with the late-2000s recession, the promotion has been very successful for the chain, having spawned...
" promotion as opposed to nutritional value.
Personal life
Fogle's parents are Norman Fogle, a physician, and Adrienne Fogle, a teacher. He is Jewish. He married pediatric nurse Elizabeth Christie Fogle, on October 14, 2001, and has since divorced, on October 18, 2007. In November 2009, Fogle became engaged to teacher Katie McLaughlin and the couple married in August 2010.In January 2010, People
People (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine reported that Fogle had gained weight but was planning to re-start his weight-loss program to stop the backslide and slim up for his wedding in the summer. He appeared in a Winter-Olympics themed Subway commercial with Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps
Michael Fred Phelps is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions...
in which his weight was obscured by a heavy winter coat.
On November 7, 2010, Fogle completed the New York City Marathon
New York City Marathon
The New York City Marathon is a major annual marathon that courses through the five boroughs of New York City. It is one of the largest marathons in the world, with 45,103 finishers in 2010...
in 5 hours, 13 minutes and 28 seconds. Jared, wearing bib number 57-459, finished in 36,968th place out of 44,829 runners who finished the race.