Gymshark Looks To Carve Activewear Niche With ‘We Do Gym’ Campaign
The UK apparel brand, already a hit with Gen Z gym-goers, wants to distance itself from Nike, Alo and Lululemon
“We Do Gym.” It’s a straightforward, three-word statement at the heart of Gymshark’s new global brand platform, which is filled with moxie and unites devoted fitness fans with common gym life facts.
For the U.K.-based Gymshark, the new ad campaign could be part of its plan to generate buzz as it eyes the U.S. market. In February, Gymshark founder and CEO (and the U.K.’s youngest billionaire) Ben Francis promised that 2024 would be the brand’s “biggest year ever,” with Gymshark launching a high-end line, “Everywhere,” and sharing plans for a 12-month pop-up in the heart of Manhattan.
Mikey Robinson, senior creative at Gymshark, captures the new ad campaign succinctly:
“The campaign celebrates the niches and nuances of the gym sub-culture,” he wrote in a post on LinkedIn. “It features stringer vest nip slips, bum scrunch shorts, training to failure, callous chewing, all served with a side of chicken, rice, and broccoli. Developed alongside Apna Studios, it is full of IYKYK truths, speaking directly to our customer and community.”
The campaign includes humorous (yet relatable) imagery such as a man grasping eight cartons of eggs alongside text that reads “Never Skip Egg Day” and a woman next to a rack of leggings in every color and a message – ‘Has Every Colour. Still Wears Black.” Another image depicts a skeptical-looking man eyeing a piece of broccoli on his fork and the message “Chicken, Rice, & Broccoli For Dinner. Again.”
Robinson added that Gymshark knows the world that dedicated fitness buffs are immersed in more than any sportswear brand.
“Because we’re not a sports brand. We’re a gym brand,” he wrote. “We are Gymshark. We Do Gym.”
It’s a sentiment that Gymshark has long embraced, but seemingly decided it’s time to remind the world.
“People sometimes mistake us for a sports brand or an athleisure brand, but we’re a gym brand,” chief brand officer Noel Mack said in a widely reported statement. “It’s our reason for existing and for our community and it’s their reason to believe in us.”
The simplicity of “We Do Gym”- a brief yet powerful statement reminiscent of Nike’s “Just Do It,” as brand marketing expert Aaliyah Taylor pointed out — is intended to cut through the noise of modern distractions.
“In a world of fast scrolling and short attention spans, we wanted to find a way to tell consumers everything they need to know about us in the shortest, most understandable way we could,” Mack added.
This spring, Gymshark also launched an online store for UAE consumers as part of its Middle East push.
