Gym Rebrand Wins Bronze at DBA Design Effectiveness Awards

The privately-owned ‘Xercise Health Club and Fitness’ was established in 2006 in Castleford, West Yorkshire. In 2009, the management team made the strategic decision to position the business in the emerging budget gym sector and ‘Xercise4Less’ was born.

The position of the company in the sector was a new move, bringing the brand away from its more exclusive ‘health and fitness’ roots.

A new communications strategy was developed with the help of Huddersfield-based design and brand agency The Engine Room. With tough deadlines in place based on new club opening dates, the entire project was completed in under three months. The repositioning aimed to project the brand as ‘The People’s Gym’ in an attempt to make it more friendly and accessible to a wider audience.

Since the new brand launched at the start of 2012, Xercise4Less has surpassed projected targets, increasing turnover by 120% and seeing similar ROI after only six months. The chain is also close to becoming one of the most successful and recognised gym brands in the UK, and has signed a co-brand deal with Tesco.

The redesigned identity has also recently secured a Bronze trophy at the Design Business Association’s 2014 Design Effectiveness Awards.

The Engine Room
www.engineroomdesign.com