Equinox’s New Marketing Campaign Ups The Shock Value

LONDON, United Kingdom — Gym operator Equinox has unveiled its 2017 “Commit to Something” campaign, and this year the premium lifestyle brand is upping the shock value.

Taking its lead from the brand’s 2016 campaign of the same name, the evocative imagery explores the idea of commitment and loyalty, which Equinox believes that today’s consumer has an aversion to.

Read more: Virgin Active, Equinox and Fitness First: Is The Most Controversial Campaign King?

Comprising of seven powerful images, shot by world-renowned fashion photographer Steven Klein, the series confronts a range of thought-provoking issues including cancer survival and dedication to beauty, in a bid to explore the idea of personal identity and the philosophy that commitment has the power to define who we are.

“This year’s campaign revolves around the notion that what you commit to is who you are, so we’re daring viewers to take stance and look inward, even if doing so makes you a little bit uncomfortable,” explained Carlos Becil, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Equinox.

Becil hopes the campaign will encourage consumers to go ‘all in’ to discover who they really are. In doing so, a newfound commitment to the Equinox brand is a lucrative byproduct.

In a bid to challenge viewers to take action and celebrate dedication, Klein explained that he drew influence from what was going on outside his door every day, when shooting his subjects. This, he revealed, lent itself naturally to the campaign, which tells highly personal stories and inspires conversation about important issues.

But, for a campaign that draws little visual connection to fitness, for some, the strategy appears confusing.

“The number one piece of feedback on the less positive side we get each year is ‘what do these images have to do with a gym?’” Nolan told The Observer. He goes on to explain that in reality the shoot fits in well with the brand’s overall tagline; “‘It’s not fitness. It’s life.”

For Equinox, developing a lifestyle brand that goes beyond fitness is key to its business model.

By focusing on the social drivers that underpin the quest for health and encouraging consumers to engage their brains as well as their bodies, the “Commit to Something” campaign is just one example of how they are doing so.