Equinox is back with another striking print, digital and outdoor campaign from Wieden + Kennedy New York that looks more like fashion advertising than something a gym, even a high-end one, would put out. And the concept goes well beyond workouts, too, pushing the concept of "commitment"—not just in exercise but in life.
Fashion photographer Steven Klein shot the seven new ads over three days in Los Angeles. They celebrate various forms of commitment, Equinox says, in socially relevant areas like activism, sexuality, lifestyle choices and women's rights.
The brand says the images range "from a young mother unapologetically breastfeeding in public (portrayed by Lydia Hearst), to an activist who is seen fearlessly taking a stand for her cause (featuring Bianca Van Damme, daughter of Jean-Claude Van Damme), to a male cheerleading champion who wasn't threatened by a stereotype and dedicated himself to winning in his own way (featuring MMA fighter Alan Jouban). All vignettes are a virtuous expression of taking deliberate action, of going 'all in.' "
W+K tells AdFreak that the idea of committing only to a workout just wasn't compelling enough—thus, the larger idea her of committing to life. "It takes shape in different ways for different people," the agency says. "Committing to a cause. Committing to a belief. Committing to pursuing the almighty dollar. Or even committing to multiple sex partners. The more we stretched the definition, the more interesting the campaign got."
Klein "helped breathe life in to the various scenarios," W+K added. "His great eye and the great, skewed twists in all his work helped further elevate the work."
"It is the responsibility of advertising to communicate modern times and social issues," Klein said in a statement. "This campaign addresses today's issues and social commentaries, which is a powerful approach instead of portraying people as superficial objects with no narrative."
Added Equinox CMO Carlos Becil: "Equinox is about commitment, we are obsessed with it, and we challenge our members to know who they are and what they want. It's not just about fitness - it's about life. The concept of commitment is bold, incredibly powerful, and it's real, especially in a world today where commitment is lacking."
The campaign, which comes as the gym celebrates its 25th anniversary, broke on Monday in digital, social and print under the hashtag #CommitToSomething. The ads will also be displayed in Equinox locations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, Boston, New Jersey, Texas, Washington, D.C., London and Toronto.
CREDITS
Client: Equinox
Project: Commit to Something
Format: Print, Out-of-home, Digital, Social, In Club (windows/displays)
Chief Marketing Officer: Carlos Becil
Executive Creative Director: Liz Nolan
Senior Manager, Social Media: Caitlin Schneider
Manager, Social Media: Carly Roth
Senior Manager, Studio Services: Gisela Delgado
Print Production Assistant: Lisa Day
Senior Manager, Brand Communications: Ashley Anderson
Assistant Marketing Manager: Kathryn Morgan
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy, New York
Executive Creative Directors: Colleen DeCourcy
Creative Directors: John Parker & Sean McLaughlin
Copywriter: Rajeev Basu
Art Director: Mathieu Zarbatany
Art Director, Social: Alison Joseph
Director of Art Production: Deb Rosen
Photographer: Steven Klein
Account Director: Casey Jennings
Account Supervisor: Kristen Herrington
Account Executive: Jasmine Cogdell
Project Manager: Danielle Rounds
Business Affairs: Keri Rommel, Lindsey Timko
Brand Strategist: Neal Arthur
Content Strategist: Matt Simpson
Community Manager: James Williams
Designer: Design Director: Serifcan Ozcan; Designer: Brian Metcalf
Media Director of W+KNY: David Stopforth
Group Media Director: Ryan Haskins
Media Supervisor: Courtney Bernstein
Media Platforms: Yoni Freedman
Photographer: Steven Klein
Photographer's Agent: Art Partner
Stylist: Mel Ottenberg
Set Designer: David White
Retouching Agency: Steven Klein Studio
Production Company: North Six
Executive Producer: Jordanna Vogel
Line Producer: Kellie Tissear
