Legacy Meets Modernity: How PMI Digital & GNC Brought “Fitness Is Fun” to Life
At PMI Digital, we believe that even legacy brands can (and should) surprise and delight their audiences. When GNC approached us to help mark their 90th anniversary, we had to deliver BIG! Together, GNC and PMI Digital flipped the script on what a supplement brand looks and feels like.
Right out the gate we understood whatever we created, it needed to scream “GNC” and their core values. Sometimes that’s difficult with a legacy brand, because we need to stay true to the brand & our clients want to also reposition themselves to a younger, more energetic audience.
We liked that challenge. We went on a mission to celebrate 90 years of the brand in a way that felt fresh and relevant. We want to make fitness approachable, fun, and vibrant — not just serious and performance-focused. Lastly, how do we reach younger consumers who consume content differently and expect brands to move fast, look bold, and have attitude.
That’s when we landed: “Fitness is fun.” Everything needed to embody this mantra. Not just words, but in visual tone, in editing pace, in music, in set design, in vibe (as kids today would say it).
From the start we leaned into disruption. Our creative team landed on a look and feel that felt more “culture” than “gym brochure.” A few highlights:
- We licensed the iconic “Push It” by Salt‑N‑Pepa to give the campaign instant cultural energy.
- We chose to shoot on the virtual production stage in Los Angeles. This choice was fitting given the dichotomy of this project—modernity meets iconic. This enabled dynamic, immersive backgrounds and multiple “locations” without the time and cost of traditional set-travel.
- The visual direction mixed high-energy camera moves, bold color palettes, stylized wardrobe, and playful choreography. Fitness is fun, it should look like it.
We knew we couldn’t just say “fun”, but we had to show it in every frame. The production and post-production phases delivered on that promise. Using the volume wall allowed us to composite talent into multiple environments in real-time, meaning more setups, more variety, less downtime. We brought a live horse onto the stage (yes, a REAL horse) for one of the backgrounds. We captured 11 incredible talents across 12 unique backgrounds in just 2 days of production, a testament to the power of planning + creative technology. And you cannot forget the comical motion graphics and effects added throughout the video.
The campaign wasn’t about telling people “you’ll be shredded if you buy this.” It was about celebrating movement, energy, personality, flavor. The message: You’ve got options. This is your moment. Let’s make it fun.We structured the video edits and social assets to deliver quick hits of energy, memorable visual moments, and share-worthy attitude. Because in a crowded fitness industry, you don’t just want to show up like everyone else, you want to stand out, and have fun doing it.
From this collaboration we most importantly wanted to help remind viewers fitness isn’t just routine—it’s an experience, it’s a privilege, and it’s fun!
