Could your brand pull off Gymshark’s LIFT:LONDON?

Gymshark’s marketing has been something of a masterclass in modern creative, and its latest stunt is undeniably ambitious. But could it set a trend?

Produced by Scratch Creative and delivered by Broadwick, Gymshark’s LIFT:LONDON took over Drumsheds in North London for three days in August, blurring the lines between several creative mediums.

Part hybrid training ground, part festival, and part community hub for lifting enthusiasts, the experience started with guests being taken in shuttles from Tottenham Hale, then welcomed into a food-truck-lined yard courtesy of Kerb.

The venue’s lower levels featured a mix of competition platforms, basketball, conditioning zones and ‘cages’ for strength challenges.

Upstairs, Gymshark’s ‘The Street’ transformed retail spaces into pop-ups: including a tattoo studio, nail bar, and ‘pose office’. The main stage, broadcast studio, and exclusive merch shops kept energy high and fans engaged, with additional lounges for networking, influencers, and athletes to meet and collaborate.

Meanwhile, support from technical and logistics partners like Vibration Production and Broadwick helped keep the operation seamless.

Our Take

LIFT:LONDON was an enjoyably ambitious in-person brand event, and the sort of experiential bounceback we were all praying for during Covid.

Echoing Red Bull’s multi-day fitness festivals, Gymshark has added its own spin, with an action-packed bit of world building.

The marriage of festival, fan convention, and immersive brand experience gives Gymshark a halo effect that surely produces memories more vibrant than a digital campaign.

Of course, few could pull this off. It takes a brand with a real presence and organic pull to unite followers in an edgy warehouse venue on the outskirts of London. Gymshark, however, has proved it can swim with the best of them.