A Response To Equinox's Latest Ad Campaign: Your Brand Should Stand For Something

This article is by Christian Hughes, president and principal of San-Francisco-based ad agency Cutwater.

The new Equinox campaign, “Commit to Something,” has the news cycle up in arms about how the brand may have shifted from the sexy and edgy ethos to a polarizing, and some say, offensive place. Personally, I quite like it. And I do agree that the ads may be polarizing, but to me, that’s the point. In my opinion, the campaign is a perfect example of advertising as a hyperbole. It is exaggerated. It causes climax and pause. And in this social/digital dense era, I believe that we have focused too heavily on bringing instant value and gratification to our customers’ lives, and have forgotten how to shock, bring pause and thought. As a challenger brand, this Equinox campaign is in line with its tradition of sexy and edgy advertising. It’s not for everyone. And most important, I believe that these ads represent their clear point of view centered on today’s societal conventions and nuances – of living life to the extremes.

The creative executions use hyperbole to contextualize this in a provocative way to make the point. They infer: Don't just be religious, join in a cult. Don't just have sex, have an orgy. Don't just join any gym, join Equinox. Subsequently, this has launched a debate online and the brand was clearly ready in response.  While there were many people who loved, commended and shared the campaign there were equal numbers who were totally offended and expressed their outrage. Obviously this was not unexpected and the social team has responded with a series of short Facebook responses such as:

“The last thing the world needs is conformity. Commitment, in any facet, is in low supply. #CommitToSomething” or “Non-monogamy is a commitment, as is sticking to your routine. #CommitToSomething

The debate will range about what’s appropriate in this campaign and more. Even among my peers, the jury is split: Is this aspirational, gratuitous or offensive? Perhaps the point is not to answer the question, it’s to promote the discussion. Equinox has taken a classic challenger positioning. While it may not be right for all brands to provoke so pointedly, the brand has a history of sexy provocative work that has helped separate them from a category that is commoditized and very price sensitive. In contrast, Equinox has built a lifestyle brand that lives more in the world of fashion, tastemakers and influencers versus sweaty gyms. It’s provocative and cosmopolitan. Their set demographic – the younger, more affluent, who live in the more burgeoning larger cities like New York and San Francisco – don’t want a run-of-the-mill, basic, 24-hour fitness gym. They crave a more custom, exciting and exclusive experience that will cause them to feel like they are a step above the rest, even to an extreme level. That said, as a member since 2008, I can assure you they earn a healthy price premium, the gyms are full and they are continuing to open more. It’s clear that their business model is working.

Apart from just being shocking, the campaign goes a step further and takes a strong, bold stance on the hot-button topics that are a constant source of today’s societal news. The most controversial example is the ad featuring a young mother breastfeeding in a restaurant, portrayed by model and actress Lydia Hearst . By taking a stance on a topic like breastfeeding, the brand is reiterating its stance that committing to something isn’t just saying you’re committing, but actually taking action. And even though the ad doesn’t exactly demonstrate fitness, it is a great social depiction about how culture and fitness often bleed into one another. People tend to spend endless hours at their profession or on their hobbies, but more often than not let their health go by the wayside. So their message of committing to making your health a part of your daily life is smart. As a result, I predict that after these ads, we might see a resurgence of other fitness companies, including gyms, jumping on this trend, similar to Equinox or even Soul Cycle.

However, not all brands should or would court such controversy. They can still stand for something that’s bigger than the attributes for the category in which they operate. Whether you are a fan of the new Equinox campaign or not, you must respect the fearless and unapologetic stance that the company is taking. It has a willingness to push the boundaries, and it’s inspiring in many ways. I wish brands were more willing to take risks. And by risks, I don’t mean that you need to create provocative images such as these, but instead just be willing to be a little bold, a little daring, and ultimately, say what you feel.  It takes work and commitment to unearth and rally behind a point of view that is authentic to their brand and culturally relevant to their audience. From where I sit working in the creative world, it is worth all of the effort, as that’s when you can enjoy the economy of a big idea.