One of the major fitness players in the UK, Virgin Active, has taken aim at so-called wellness culture, suggesting it may be doing more damage than good, with new ads targeting supplements, magic detoxes, and fad diets, amongst other things. “Leave the cult, join the club” is the underlying message.
But will we see a mass exodus away from the quick fixes of wellness culture? And is it really that toxic?
Time for a change?
The fitness lifestyle has long been dominated by the wellness trend, and it may be that the campaign has tapped into a well of disillusion with its methods and outcomes. Not only that, but Virgin has a massive influence as one of the UK’s biggest companies, and dominates markets from music to airlines. It has even ventured into the world of online casinos, with the Virgin Games casino rated highly by CasinoAlpha for its selection of 480 slots and mobile app options. With this power behind it, it has the ability to influence other companies, and it seems quite likely that other fitness brands in Wales will follow in Virgin’s footsteps, and begin to reject the ‘wellness’ lifestyle in favour of back-to-basics methods, and the promotion of the gym as a place to exercise, relax, and enjoy.
What does the campaign say?
The ad, produced by Dutch advertisers We Are Pi, opens up on a pile of TV screens playing a selection of 30-day abs commercials and wellness ad spots, before lampooning supplement use, influencer (or ‘fakefluencer’ in this case) culture, and fad dieting. “Leave the cult,” it boldly states, “and join the club”. Fads, shams, fakes, frauds — the language portrays wellness as a cult rather than a culture, and highlights its growing toxicity, based on making a buck rather than really promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Source: Unsplash
Gabi Mostert, Group Creative Director at Virgin Active, expands on the campaign: “Our message is simple. We’re f***ing sick of it too. Come to one of our clubs, have a smoothie, move your body, lie in the sauna, whatever. Forget the noise and come as you are. Listen to nobody, but your body.” So Virgin Active have posited themselves as the antidote to this toxic culture, suggesting that a back-to-basics approach to exercise, diet, and lifestyle are much more effective than any quick-fix remedy.
Is wellness toxic?
‘Toxic wellness’ seems like a contradiction in terms, but the massive industry that has grown up around weight-loss and health has poisoned the waters. Fad dieting has been around since time immemorial, but now Atkins, Paleo, and intermittent fasting are synonymous with the idea of ‘wellness’. We’re bombarded with adverts for 30-day abs, or ways to get ripped without sacrificing our precious desserts and fatty foods. The real toxicity comes from the selling of products or services, and as the old adage goes, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is. Self-appointed lifestyle gurus have been increasingly under the spotlight — take a look at Gwyneth Paltrow and the negative scrutiny around her Goop brand as a high-profile example. Deceptive marketing has become commonplace, and almost acceptable in the wellness industry.
In direct retaliation to this, Andy Tomkins, Group Chief Marketing Officer at Virgin Active stated: “Our new global positioning ‘Where Wellness Gets Real’ establishes Virgin Active as the antidote to the fakery that’s plaguing the wellness industry and reflects the culture we’ve created where people can bring their real selves, make real progress in a healthy way that’s unique to them.”
It’s a bold campaign that may have far-reaching effects. Virgin Active is an extremely influential brand, and the campaign is high-impact and high-profile (not to mention pretty funny). We’ll see if other fitness brands decide to drain the swamp of snake oil too.
