GymNation CMO on brand-aligned trends and ‘stunts' in campaigns

Campaign ME

07-05-2025

Over the past few months, brands have been looking to differentiate themselves and remain distinctive within a crowded and competitive market, while still staying informed and reflecting trends that connect them with evolving consumer preferences.
Marketers have been looking to unlock new ways to inspire innovation, engage consumers, and ensure that their brands resonates culturally and socially with diverse audiences. However, this has also required meaningful, brand-aligned trendsetting, instead of blindly following trends that may not be aligned with a brand's core values and identity.
In April 2025, Campaign Middle East spotted how GymNation latched onto the April Fools' trend: Teasing the 'world's first in-gym hotel' to tap into the obsession with the Middle East region's 24/7 gym culture in a way that was both absurd and right on-brand.
'The challenge today is people in the boardroom see trends and think the brand should be jumping on the topic to get a short-term injection spike. But as marketers, we need to ask ourselves a few questions before deciding which moments to jump on.'
Commenting on this in an exclusive conversation with Campaign Middle East, Rory McEntee, Chief Marketing Officer at GymNation, said. 'It wasn't random at all. It was smart, sharable, and felt very much like something GymNation could actually do.'
McEntee explained. 'Meaningful, brand-aligned occasion campaigns should be rooted in authentic connection between the brand's values and the occasion being celebrated. It feels intentional, strategic, and resonant with both the brand identity and its audience. Ultimately it doesn't feel odd that your brand is talking about the topic and so it should feel normal, not forced.'
He added, 'On the flip side, a gimmick or trend-chasing stunt feels opportunistic, like it's been slapped on just to for short term likes and engagement. The recent AI action doll trend is a perfect example of a gimmick where brands try to capture attention and ride the viral wave, with little thought for long-term brand equity. Ironically, those who did it just looked like copycats and there was little authentic thinking behind it all.'
'A poorly thought through stunt however runs the risk of just becoming another speck in the wall of noise.'
The discussion with the GymNation CMO also delved into strategically finding the right mix of brand alignment, audience relevance, and strategic intention.
'The challenge today is people in the boardroom see trends and think the brand should be jumping on the topic to get a short-term injection spike. But as marketers, we need to ask ourselves a few questions before deciding which moments to jump on. You don't need to do Pride, April Fools or Mental Health Day just because everyone else is,' McEntee said.
He called on marketers to ask themselves a few critical questions before jumping onto trends.
Does it align with your brand's DNA? If it doesn't reflect your values or mission. Skip it.
Does it matter to your audience? it's not just about what's trending, it's about what's meaningful to them.
Can you add real value? You need to ensure you can offer something different and not just copy others. Can you offer some insight, humour or a different perspective?
Are you willing to commit beyond the moment? One-off posts or stunts can feel hollow so if you're going to show up, be ready to back it up with action, and long-term storytelling. Be known for doing things regularly.
Clearly, when done right, even bold or unconventional campaigns can spark real connection and drive deeper brand relevance.
McEntee added, 'It's all about how you execute and why you're doing it. A well-designed stunt can cut through and connect as long as it's not just noise. If it's brave, brand-led, and culturally sharp, it can fuel relevance rather than undermine it. A poorly thought through stunt however runs the risk of just becoming another speck in the wall of noise.'
Through the conversation McEntee also offered advice on how to anchor trends in 'brand truth'; how to build a sense of community through shared moments and inside jokes; and how to lean into co-creation, feedback and community participation to turn the 'stunt' into a 'collaborative brand story'.
He explained, 'If the stunt reveals something true about your product, purpose, or personality, it doesn't just entertain, it reinforces brand meaning in a memorable way. Specsavers are the experts of this and their tagline – Should have gone to Specsavers – allows them to jump on almost any culturally relevant topic from sports to traffic accidents and it always feels relevant.'
'Sometimes the best stunts just give people something fun or absurd to rally around or share, creating a sense of community or in-the-know belonging. One of these biggest tribes is in the fitness world and the recent Gymshark campaign taps into the mindset of gym goers. With lines including Bite-Sized Protein with a person nibbling the callous on his hands to 'we hope you fail' with a participant struggling to life a weight, it knows how gym goers think and people relate and share the work,' he added.
Recent examples, including Spotify with Wrapped, a 'moment' that's deeply personal, highly shareable, as well as those from Deliveroo and Monzo bank, highlight how brands can open the door to their audiences to be the brand moment.
'Whether through co-creation, response, or activation, this can turn a stunt into a collaborative brand story. Your community feels part of it and become conducive to your marketing efforts. That same tribe energy is also something GymNation tapped into with the hotel stunt. It became an inside joke for fitness fanatics, and it felt like it was made by the gym community for the gym community,' McEntee concluded.