Latest news with #GymNation
Campaign ME
2 days ago
- Business
- Campaign ME
Here are Campaign Middle East's Work picks for July
Every month, Campaign Middle East selects a collection of 'Work' to display in its monthly issue. The same selection then gets offered to industry professionals for their review in Campaign's Private View section for the following month. These are the picks for July – featuring work from GymNation, Ahmed Seddiqi, Careem Pay, Holsten and Tie House. GymNation: The Coolest Class GymNation provided UAE residents with a short respite from high temperatures this summer with the launch of its Coolest Class in Dubai. Tapping into the insight that residents are seeking innovative and exciting fitness experiences, the free-to-enter class offered members and non-members training in a cooled environment. Through social media outreach and a PR push with agency partner Current Global MENAT, the activation aimed to attract visitors and ensure their return to the gym by offering a memorable experience. Agency: Current Global MENAT (PR) Ahmed Seddiqi: The Difference Time Makes Luxury retailer Ahmed Seddiqi launches its refreshed brand along with its 75th anniversary campaign in the MENA region. Brought to life in collaboration with directing duo Simon Morehead and James Hulbert from Sovereigns, Director of Photography Mark Hobz and Art Director Maria Fontela, in partnership with Create Group, the hero films aim to reflect the timeless values and modern ambitions of the brand. As Ahmed Seddiqi adds new luxury brands to its portfolio, the campaign intends to capture the energy of transformation while maintaining reverence for the legacy built since 1950. Create Group's scope included film production, digital assets, in-store branding, social media strategy, and more. Agency: Create. Production house: Create Production Careem Pay: Vroooooosh *Ding* This 360-degree campaign marks the expansion of Careem Pay's international remittance service to more than 30 corridors. Aiming to be a bold departure from traditional financial advertising, the campaign's design deviates from typical financial visuals and, instead, uses sharp sound design to highlight the speed and better rates of Careem Pay services. Associating dynamic sounds such as 'Vroooosh. Ding.' and 'Ping. Ping.' with Careem Pay's financial services, the campaign focuses on two core customer concerns: how fast money lands into an account, and how money reaches loved ones abroad. Careem took a human- and sound-led approach to the campaign's design to create a lasting sonic memory. Agency Careem Creative Studio (in-house) Production house Bigfoot Films Holsten: Georgina's Favourite Treat The Carlsberg Group's premium malt beverage Holsten partnered with social media personality, model and entrepreneur Georgina Rodríguez for its latest advertisement. Set in a neighbourhood baqala in Saudi Arabia run by 'Rajeev', the video plays up a rumour that Rodríguez visits the baqala every Monday to pick up her 'favourite treat' – a bottle of Holsten. The audience-first campaign was designed specifically for Saudi Arabia with deep cultural relevance and local consumer insight with the intention of reinforcing Holsten's brand positioning within the Saudi market. The multi-platform campaign has been rolled out across Shahid, social media channels, cinemas and outdoor advertisements. Agency M+C Saatchi, dentsu Production house Boho Films Tie House: 30 Years of Tie House Tie House, a men's fashion brand based in Egypt, has launched a campaign featuring former professional footballer Mohamed Zidan to celebrate its 30-year anniversary. The campaign shows Zidan taking on several everyday characters with subtle visual transformations, to depict how Tie House suits all lifestyles, from celebrity to everyday living. The campaign was launched with an integrated 360-degree approach to ensure strong brand recall across various segments. Adopting a humorous tone, the campaign's core challenge was finding the balance between comedic undertones while maintaining Tie House's elegant brand positioning. Agency Rack Advertising Agency Production house Golden Take Media Production, LZRD
Campaign ME
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Campaign ME
Private View by GymNation's Rory McEntee
Campaign Middle East features a Private View section with a range of insights and viewpoints from industry experts, revealing the intricate world of marketing and advertising campaigns. This review of our 'Works' from May is by Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer, GymNation. talabat x Kitopi: See, Eat, Repeat! This campaign turned heads and taste buds with a classic combo: low friction, high visibility and irresistible pricing. AED 10 meals? That's not a promo, that's culinary clickbait. By blanketing Dubai with out of home (OOH), hijacking hunger with influencers and removing every barrier to trial, they didn't just sell meals, they hacked customer acquisition. Lesson: feed them cheap, feed them often and feed them everywhere. MG Egypt: Well Known, Even If Not Owned This did more than flaunt cars; it sparked love for a brand you might never own. By turning curiosity into admiration, they built brand equity through eye-catching ubiquity. The insight? People fall for aspirational visuals, even if their wallet isn't ready for the drive. Boutiqaat: Ya Hala Campaign This went full sitcom on the Ya Hala Festival, turning discount fever into comedy gold. The irreverent, locally-flavoured jokes broke through ad fatigue proving that humour + cultural resonance = mega shareability. Message learned: don't just promote sales to consumers. Make them laugh, make them feel seen and watch those metrics party like it's raffle night at The Avenues. RAM: RHO Airlines – The Shortest Flight This campaign brilliantly turned a product demo into a theatrical stunt, using humour and misdirection. By parodying the airline experience – right down to boarding passes – it elevated utility into entertainment. The real marketing insight? Consumers don't remember specs; they remember how you made them feel. RAM didn't just talk performance – it made audiences feel it, proving that emotional storytelling can drive product credibility without a single feature list. McDonald's Saudi: Menuless From a marketing standpoint, it was a masterclass in brand confidence, nostalgia and behavioural insight. By challenging choice overload with simplicity, McDonald's sparked viral engagement and reaffirmed its iconic status – not by adding, but by taking away. I'm lovin' it. By Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer, GymNation.
Khaleej Times
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Cool activities to keep you fit this summer
Is the heat making you feel lethargic? Causing you to drop your gym sessions and head towards the ice-cold slushies? We have some good news – there are a number of water (and snow)-rich activities around the city that will help you stay cool and get fit. From low-impact Aquafit classes to sled hauling gym sessions, and hiking on powdered slopes, here's a look at the fun stuff you can do in Dubai this month. Can you push a block of ice around? Stay cool as you enjoy a fun workout at GymNation this summer. Dubbed The Coolest Class in Dubai, this latest gym offering combines high-intensity interval training with (literally) cold challenges. Think Blizzard Sprints , where you run on a treadmill as giant fans simulate resistance; Frosted Reps, squats with ice-packed weighted vests; Glacier Grip Challenge, where you need to carry an ice bucket; and Polar Push, where you push a sled with ice blocks on it. At the end of your session, you get an ice bath to accelerate recovery. Worried about catching a cold? You'll be equipped with insulated gloves and headgear to keep your temperature steady. Free for both members and non-members (as long as they register online). Saturdays in July, 10am. GymNation Motor City. Head to the slopes Ladies, it's time to grab your girl friends and head on over to the slopes. Yes, in Dubai (thank you, technology). Trek over snow-covered pathways as you giggle and catch up on gossip this month. And at the end of the two-hour 'workout', enjoy a nice breakfast – eggs Benedict, burgers, banana croissant - at North 28. The activity is available for those over 13, and you get a locker to stash your belongings before you head out into the snow. Don't have the duds you need? Don't worry, you also get to borrow snow boots, socks, trousers and jackets fit for this session. Dh130 (per person). July 26, 7am-9am. Ski Dubai, Mall of The Emirates. Skate escape Not going out of town for the summer? That doesn't mean you can't perfect your flip, axel, or loop on ice. Head over to Dubai Mall's Ice Rink and get a two-month membership that'll allow you to glide and slide the warm season away. Dh1,399. July-August. Ice Rink, Dubai Mall. Cycling in the pool, anyone? Dive into a fitness class that will not only get your heart-pumping and dress sizes dropping but it'll do it in a low-impact environment. (Trust us, your knees will thank you.) You can work on your core, do squats, spinning, dips and more while in a pool with refreshing water to dull the heat of the sun. The classes are 45-minutes long and each set of exercises lasts between 45 seconds and a minute and is set to music. Boredom is basically left on the shore. Dh120 (drop-in); Dh899 (12 classes in four weeks). Various timings and locations across Dubai. Healing notes As much as physical workouts help to keep you in good form, mental exercise has its therapeutic benefits, too. Try a sound healing experience at The Lost Chambers Aquarium, configured to help with nervous system rebalancing and emotional release. This is meditation on steroids. Just book your slot early, because there are only 15 spots per class. Dh175. Wednesdays and Fridays, 8am. Atlantis, The Palm Dubai. Call +971 4 426 2666 to book your space. Why play for just one day? Ok, so we know this isn't an exercise class, per say. But you know, if you do spend time rushing from ride to ride hollering your happiness, you are doing to burn a whole lot of calories. Now, the world's largest waterpark – home to 105 slides and experiences – has a summer offer that's almost too cool to be true. When you book a day pass to the waterpark, you get free access to it for a second day! Besides this, you can see a 30-minute Dolphin Discovery Presentation from Dolphin Bay beach, and get discounts on tickets to The Lost Chambers Aquarium, and dolphin and sea lion experiences.
Daily Mirror
05-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mirror
Gym creates perfect workout for fitness fans exercising in heatwave
The UK's recent warm weather may have proven an issue for gym-goers, but one fitness centre has come up with a clever way of making workouts bearable even in extreme heat Summer can be a hard time for people who like to stay active. It's often too warm to exercise outside, and even dedicated gyms often heat up to unbearable temperatures during the warmest months of the year. The UK is set for another heatwave, too, meaning workouts are about to get sweatier - while some of us may decide to skip them altogether. It's hardly a surprise, therefore, that some Brit gym-goers are becoming obsessed with a workout created by a gym in Dubai where managers and personal trainers. GymNation - the city's leading gym chain, with more than 120,000 members - has shipped in a staggering 1,000kg of ice just this week for its new workout classes. Here, participants push around giant ice blocks, wear ice-filled vests to squat, and even run towards giant chiller fans on treadmills. The novel approach to the UAE's recent soaring temperatures has been shared on social media and quickly went viral, with roasting Brits begging their own gyms to come up with similar ideas. Taking to Instagram, one person wrote: "I'll go........ Just bring it to my front door." Another agreed: "Other gym plans immediately cancelled for July and August." Meanwhile a third chimed in: "Okay, but the frosted reps with ice vests!? who's free to go next weekend, I need a gym buddy for this madness." The workout is known as the "Coolest Class", combining high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with equipment made of ice. The drills include 'blizzard sprints', which are treadmill runs against a giant fan. This not only creates the feeling of resistance, but also keeps runners cool. The 'polar push' involves sled pushes with ice blocks, while 'frosted reps' are squats with ice-packed weighted vests. The 'glacier grip challenge' sees participants complete bicep curls and lunges using ice buckets. At the end of the class, participants can recover in a 'chill zone'. GymNation Chief Marketing Officer Rory McEntee says the the class was created as a "genuine solution to the boiling temperatures which are restricting gym goers". He said: "We've seen a huge amount of interest from members since launching the class and it's been good fun watching the reaction unfold on social media around the world in the past few days. "At GymNation, we pride ourselves on being the people's gym and that means listening to what our members need. Peak summer in Dubai becomes a real challenge due to overheating - with a recent YouGov survey revealing 71% of residents plan to stay in during summer, rather than seek local leisure opportunities to escape the heat. "We wanted to fix that with this new class, which combines cutting-edge fitness programming with temperature-controlled training to deliver maximum impact, without the meltdown. "We've even had messages from fitness lovers in the UK, Europe and Australia over the past week who are travelling to Dubai in July, asking to reserve them a place." Sadly for UK exercise-lovers, there are "no plans" to bring the class here yet.
Campaign ME
04-07-2025
- Climate
- Campaign ME
GymNation's 'Coolest Class' activation beats Dubai's heat
GymNation has provided a short respite from high temperatures to UAE residents this summer with the launch of its Coolest Class in Dubai. With temperatures reaching 43°C and humidity levels soaring past 70 per cent in the UAE's summer months, the free to enter class (for members and non-members) is a combination of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with cold-based challenges. 'At GymNation, we always take inspiration from what's happening around us,' said Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer, GymNation. 'With Dubai's summer heat reaching its peak, we saw an opportunity to create something unique for residents,' he said. To beat 'gimmick' claims, Aderito Manuel, a renowned sports scientist, commented on the benefits of cold-environment training: 'Exercising in cold environments may seem daunting at first, but it offers distinct health benefits.' 'When exposed to lower temperatures, the body works harder to regulate its core temperature, leading to a 5-11 per cent boost in oxygen volume in the blood compared to temperate conditions due to increased cardiac output and oxygen utilisation, resulting in greater endurance. This process also increases calorie burn by ~300kcal/day through brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation.' 'Studies show athletes training in cold environments develop up to 17 per cent higher pain tolerance and lower rates of perceived exertion (RPE) post-adaptation.' The inspiration behind The Coolest Class The activation taps into the insight that residents are seeking innovative and exciting fitness experiences. The gym claims that recent trends indicate a growing interest in unique workout classes in the region, with searches on Google and social media for 'cool' classes or gyms in Dubai up by 23 per cent year-on-year. 'This class is about flipping the narrative and turning the intense heat into a chance to launch an experience no other gym offers. It's a reflection of our commitment to innovation and giving our members reasons to stay motivated all year round.' McEntee said. The strategy To get the message to its audiences, GymNation's strategy included a mix of social media marketing, traditional press coverage and partnerships with influential fitness personalities in Dubai. 'This is a very content led class with 'wow' moments that one cannot see anywhere else,' McEntee said. 'We created exclusive classes and invited content creators and journalists to experience it first-hand.' Explaining this strategy, McEntee said: 'Real fitness enthusiasts like to share their journeys online and are always looking for newer experiences. So it makes sense as they are best placed to try the actual class and provide real commentary on what the public can expect when they come to class.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by GymNation (@gymnation_me) Supporting this, GymNation's in-house creative team developed content around the activation. 'We're proud to have such a strong internal team that understands the GymNation brand and our members deeply. Working this way allows us to move fast, keep ideas authentic, and maintain creative control from concept to execution,' McEntee said. 'From a PR leg, we worked with Current Global MENAT to get the news out there,' he added. Furthermore, the class was intentionally made free to access for the public. 'Accessibility is at the heart of GymNation's purpose and we believe fitness should be available to everyone,' McEntee said. The free-of-cost incentive also aims to see visitors return and sign-up for a GymNation membership once they see what the gym has to offer. 'Offering The Coolest Class for free is an investment in long-term brand building, deepening trust and loyalty within our community,' McEntee said. Results The activation will run on Saturdays 5, 12, 19 and 26 July at select GymNation locations. The session includes tailor-made exercises on fitness experiences such as: Blizzard Sprints – Treadmill runs against giant fans simulate resistance while staying cool Frosted Reps – Squats with ice-packed weighted vests that enhances strength with a cold twist. Glacier Grip Challenge – Ice bucket farmer's carries that challenge grip and endurance. Polar Push – sled pushes with ice blocks to boost power and stability. Chill Zone Recovery – post-workout ice bath to reduce inflammation and accelerate recovery. McEntee said the response to the offering has been 'overwhelmingly positive'. 'Classes have booked out so quickly that we've implemented a ballot system to keep it fair and give as many people as possible the chance to participate,' he said. 'Considering this demand, we're already exploring options to increase capacity and run additional sessions to meet interest.' To view the class schedule and register, click here.
