Gymshark
D&AD New Blood Submission
Branding and Innovation Solution
The Ask
Gymshark, an athletic clothing brand, wants a campaign to persuade 18-21 year olds to become long-term members of their community.
Gymshark's day one customers view them as “sellouts”, so they need to build a new consumer base.
The Challenge
Gymshark traditionally presented a version of achievement focused on perfect physiques, while culture has shifted towards Body Positivity.
Physical form was Gymshark’s original metric of a person’s work ethic and intensity. Their recent shallow attempts at representing different body types hasn’t resonated with any consumers.
Brand Problem
Gymshark feels like it is giving up its purpose without gaining a sense of direction.
Originally, Gymshark championed intensity in the gym for insane results. If they negate the importance of those results, it also invalidates their consumers’ sense of achievement.
Brand Solution
Shift achievement from physique to performance, making intensity inclusive with: celebrate strength.
Who celebrates strength and how do we attract them to the Gymshark community?
Who:
Gym Grinders- People who are serious about getting stronger.
Gen Z embraces body diversity and that health is a state of being, not a shape. Appealing to increasing strength resonates with a vastly broader psychographic than trying to attain society’s “perfect” body, because there are a multitude of reasons for wanting to get stronger.
Attraction:
By shifting the achievement from physique to performance, it opens Gymshark up to the opportunity to make individual fitness a group effort.
Gen Z’s core value of collective action motivates them during team sports.
Strategy: Motivate 18-21 year olds through collective performance to unlock their maximum potential.
IDEA: The Gymshark Frenzy
Solution: Unite Gymshark’s community and brand into one platform.
The Gymshark Frenzy’s in-app engagement leads to communication between members, turning the app into a conversation hub. As a platform, the Gymshark Frenzy collects and solidifies community members and strengthen brand engagement by keeping all interaction under Gymshark’s roof. This differentiates Gymshark from competitors, like Lululemon, who’s community is separate from the brand and interacts each other and the brand on a separate platform (Instagram).
Gymshark Frenzy In-App
Users are sorted into 3 teams to compete in global challenges like Move Australia, Launch the Moon, or Raise the Titanic to add team moral & motivation to individual fitness journeys.
OOH
We’re shooting for the moon (sometimes literally) when working out to encourage people to join the world’s largest game of fitness.
IRL Extensions
To generate intrigue, limited time workout extensions will appear at popular spring break destinations so friends can compete for Shark Power and bring the competition home.
Art Director: Kyle Brubaker
Copywriter: Mark McColey
Experience Designer: Nate Villaire
Creative Brand Manager: Emerald Grippa
