Sweating indoors just a few feet away from strangers for hours on end isn't the most appealing of propositions. But Equinox is setting out to make gyms sexy.
The upscale fitness club's controversial new advertising campaign is built around the premise "Equinox made me do it." Using extremely fit (and often partially nude) models, the ads depict curious and seemingly criminal situations.
One ad shows a woman in a swimsuit being hauled off by hot young security guards; another shows a group of people in their underwear getting sprayed with a hose. One more has a woman in high heels inexplicably applying lipstick from atop a tree branch.
In a statement, Equinox said it wanted to capture moments that exuded a sense of rebellion. "Lowered inhibitions and playful naughtiness are the side effects of living a more provoked life," the statement reads in part.
"We looked to our members as the core inspiration for this campaign," said Carlos Becil, Equinox's VP of marketing. "Grounded in the idea of high performance living, we aim to provide our members with a holistic approach to health and push them to seek higher goals, disrupt preconceived notions and break boundaries."
London photographer Robert Wyatt shot the campaign, which is running at Equinox locations in New York; Los Angeles; Chicago; San Francisco; Miami; Boston; Dallas; Washington, D.C.; London; and Toronto.
One ad shows a woman in a swimsuit being hauled off by a hot young security guard.
