Fitness Center Chain Goes Provocative in New Campaign
By STUART ELLIOTT of New York Times
Published: January 14, 2008
"A campaign for a chain of fitness centers is raising eyebrows -- and perhaps pulse rates -- with a sexy take on the traditional finale to fairy tales.
The campaign, which began this month, promotes the Equinox Fitness Club chain by promising patrons they can achieve their "happily ever."
"What's your after?" asks the campaign, the first work for Equinox from its new agency, Fallon Worldwide in Minneapolis, part of the Publicis Groupe. The campaign retains a theme that appeared in previous ads for Equinox, which had been created internally: "It's not fitness. It's life."
To turn up the heat, the campaign is photographed by the fashion photographer Ellen Von Unwerth, who has shot ads for brands like Chanel, Diesel, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger and Victoria's Secret. She presents images that are provocative as well as playful, meant to illustrate themes like inner beauty and fantasy.
These are the sensual situations, some erotic, some voyeuristic, all featuring scads of well-toned skin:
- Nuns in an art class sketch a hunky naked model who resembles Michelangelo's David.
- A buff hottie chooses a naturally fit woman over her rivals, who have opted for cosmetic surgery and too much makeup.
- A young man bends over backward, literally, to please the guests at a costume party, by serving as their table.
- A beautiful older woman in full "cougar" mode celebrates her birthday, surrounded by men of various ages who are vying for her attention.
Equinox has long been known for campaigns that celebrated the fit human form, presenting gorgeous models of both sexes in as little clothing as possible. And it is not surprising to find a marketer that owns fitness centers using sex to sell memberships. Still, the campaign is already drawing attention for the frank approach of some of the ads, which can cut both ways. "
Do these ads motivate you keep your bod in shape and join their gym? Is it memorable and you appreciate the creativity? Or, is it just too much sex? What do you think?
