AMV BBDO debuts Gymbox campaign

The agency won the business after a competitive pitch at the end of last year

By creative salon

05 January 2023

AMV BBDO has created a new campaign for Gymbox, the unconventional London based fitness chain following a brief to disrupt the category and reinforce its brand position as the “antidote to boring gyms”.

The campaign follows a survey with over 2,500 Londoners and revealed that almost half of respondents (48 per cent) cites outdated motivational fitness quotes as their biggest turn off, followed by intimidating environments (21 per cent) and body transformation images (16 per cent). Gymbox has responded with their own take on fitness quotes as they cut through the nonsense and motivational commandments and positions them as the lively alternative to the serious approach of many big gym chains.

Gymbox provides high quality training facilities and fitness classes in an inclusive and fun atmosphere that contrasts to the grunt and grind environment of other gyms. AMV’s work builds on the existing Gymbox “Anything goes” campaign using the same endline.

The new out-of-home creative mimics graffiti, with clicheì motivational quotes about working out scribbled over and phrases that sum up the Gymbox fun and bold spirit. In one execution, the phrase “You can’t cheat on the gym,” is scribbled out and the words “which is lucky given your track record” are scrawled underneath.

Launching this week, the campaign will run on London out-of-home sites and be supported with significant digital and social activity across Meta, TikTok & YouTube.

Rory McEntee, brand and marketing director at Gymbox, said: “When did gym culture get so serious and weird? AMV have done a great job at helping us cut through the bulls**t because there’s no right way or wrong way to work out. Working out should be as fun as going out and at Gymbox, we are about pure, unadulterated fun and self-confidence.

With this attention-grabbing campaign, we wanted to get across Gymbox’s unique approach to keeping fit and it really brings our messages to life, raising a smile and demonstrating a positive Gymbox attitude”.

Prabhu Wignarajah, Creative Director at AMV BBDO, said: “Getting to work with a brand like Gymbox is a gift – they have built an alternative to the typical dour, humourless gym chains and have created a fun, inclusive atmosphere. A fantastic brief like this deserves a great creative treatment”.

AMV BBDO won the account in a competitive pitch against several other agencies at the end of last year.