Fitness Brand Repositioning & Rebranding

Project Overview

Repositioned the existing Anytime Fitness brand into Steply, a beginner-friendly, emotionally supportive fitness brand.

  • This project demonstrates:

  • Brand positioning

  • Target audience insight development

  • Marketing-led rebranding

  • Emotional value alignment

  • Visual identity strategy

  • Multi-channel brand design

Core message: Wellness at your pace.

Challenge

Although the original brand claimed inclusivity, its dark purple palette and performance-driven tone created intimidation, especially for beginners.

This mismatch between claimed values and visual/experiential signals produced emotional friction at the very first touchpoint—preventing potential users from even stepping inside the gym.

Objective

Rebuild the brand so that:

  • Beginners feel emotionally safe and welcomed

  • Fitness becomes approachable, not intimidating

  • Visual identity aligns with wellness culture

  • Messaging supports self-paced progress

  • The brand authentically reflects inclusivity and kindness

All decisions were grounded in the core concept: “Wellness at your pace.”

Strategic Insight

Key insights derived from user behavior and market trends:

  1. Intimidation is the biggest entry barrier for beginners

    Dark purple, sharp typography, and high-performance cues signal “serious gym culture.”

  2. Wellness users prioritize emotional safety over intensity

    They want consistency, not pressure.

  3. Brand values must be visually believable

    If a brand claims inclusivity but looks intimidating, trust collapses.

These insights shaped the foundation for repositioning.

Strategy

  1. Replace intimidating visuals with welcoming, gentle brand cues

    Soft colors and rounded typography reduce tension and encourage approachability.

  2. Build a new identity around emotional support

    Encouragement > intensity

    Warmth > performance

    Progress at your pace > “train harder”

  3. Rename the brand for clarity of purpose

    “Steply” reflects step-by-step progress and accessible fitness for all.

  4. Align brand values, visuals, and messaging

    Consistency restores credibility and trust.

Execution

Brand Naming

“Steply” was chosen to evoke:

  • Gradual progress

  • Approachability

  • Non-intimidating encouragement

  • A welcoming journey for beginners

Visual Identity (Marketing Rationale)

  • Soft colors → emotional safety

  • Rounded type → accessibility and friendliness

  • Logo symbol based on “steps” → gradual progress, positivity

  • Clean layouts → reduce cognitive load

Brand Messaging System

Core values:

  • Kindness

  • Inclusivity

  • Supportive Motivation

  • Openness

Messaging focuses on:

  • Reducing intimidation

  • Encouraging first steps

  • Celebrating small wins

  • Promoting sustainable routines

Deliverables

  • Logo + visual system

  • Color and typography guides

  • Brand guidelines

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Results

Qualitative outcomes:

  • Stronger emotional alignment with beginner users

  • Reduced intimidation at first contact

  • A coherent identity that reflects values users care about

  • Brand perception shifts from “gym” to “welcoming wellness space”

Learnings

  • Emotional friction is often the real barrier—not functionality

  • Colors and typography have strong psychological influence

  • Positioning must reflect user motivations, not brand assumptions

  • Consistency across touchpoints is essential for credibility

  • Branding is most powerful when it reduces fear and increases confidence