UK fitness company Gymbox launched a New Year ad campaign that aimed to brings to life the harsh evolutionary link between pleasure and pain in the human mind and body.
The campaign, which was developed by Mother (the agency won the account last year and this is its first set of work for the fitness brand), is called ‘50 Shades of Gymbox’ and carries the message that the brand will essentially dominate you back into shape.
Creative executions play on images and copy relating to whips, chains and blindfolds to promote the gyms workouts, tools and personal trainers.
With titles like ‘Punish’, ‘Ruthless’, ‘Whiplash’, ‘Ripped and Stripped’ and ‘Blackout’, the ads run across print and digital platforms,
So you like your pleasure served with a dash of pain? Welcome to #Gymbox. pic.twitter.com/4VzEhfDwZs
— GYMBOX (@GYMBOXofficial) January 2, 2018
The insight and research behind the campaign is based on evidence that pain can stimulate Melatonin and Serotonin production in the brain, which transforms painful experiences into more pleasurable ones.
Which might explain the creative images, shot by Todd Antony, contain workout faces that portray some form of orgasmic pain.
“Most gyms are so dull that it makes it hard to keep coming back. We love how Gymbox offers so many unique ways to punish yourself buff,” commented the campaigns creative directors Kyle Harman-Turner and Martin Rose.
Comment:
Of course, most gym chains are running some form of New Year, health-led, resolution-driven fitness campaign.
Virgin Active, for example is running both a comic ‘Year Of No Excuses’,
and a more serious ‘Fit For Rugby’ initiative in tandem with England Rugby.
But this Gymbox S&M style campaign has ensured that, in this particular category, 2018 creative has kicked-off in ominous and threatening style.
This is all a bit too much ‘50 Shades Of Pain’ for us at Activative and, as we are surrounded by fitness band wearing health freaks, we are crossing our fingers that everyone’s New Year resolutions will be forgotten or abandoned within a week or two.
Links:
Gymbox
http://gymbox.com/blog/50-shades-of-gymbox
https://www.instagram.com/gymboxofficial/
https://twitter.com/GYMBOXofficial
Mother
