Spindle director Daniel Liakh slams together proof of his belief that “the funniest things co-exist with the most tragic” in this counter-punch to the fakery of the wellness industry for Virgin Active health clubs thru Amsterdam agency We Are Pi.

From We Are Pi: “We teamed up with Virgin Active to create a global campaign that calls out the wellness cult for its scams, shams and crooked gurus – then invites people to Virgin Active, where the community, the wellness, and the results, are all real, all the time.
 

“In 1977, Virgin signed the Sex Pistols, and ever since then, the brand has had punk in its DNA. When we were challenged to create Virgin Active’s new visual identity, we brought the brand back to its roots.”

 
“We launched with a metaphorical slap in the face: a noisy, hypnotic ‘de-brainwashing’ film filled to the brim with as many bizarre (and real) wellness trends as we could squeeze into an ad. We followed it up with an eye-catching OOH campaign where Virgin Active’s authenticity stands as the solution to the wellness cult.

“In 1977, Virgin signed the Sex Pistols, and ever since then, the brand has had punk in its DNA. When we were challenged to create Virgin Active’s new visual identity, we brought the brand back to its roots. We showcased rebellious expressions and authentic movements, graffitied the gym, and painted the world in punked-up black and white.”
 
 

 
Client: Virgin Active

Agency: We Are Pi

Production: Spindle
Director: Daniel Liakh
Photographer: Maximilian Hetherington