Equinox Fitness Club has worked with advertising agency Fallon and fashion photographer Ellen von Unwerth to promote a glamorous fantasy edge to motivate a new set to enrol at the gymnasium. Unwerth, known for her sexual fashion photography and film, has presented three tableaux showing men and women in unlikely situations: a male nude posing for a nuns’ art class, a man bending over backwards to become the table in a nineteenth century royal harem, and a group of women needlessly preparing themselves for plastic surgery. The byline, “What’s Your After? It’s not fitness. It’s life”, reminds those making fitness their goal for the new year that fitness is a means to many ends.
Equinox Fitness Club Credits
The Equinox campaign was developed at Fallon, Minneapolis by executive creative director Al Kelly, group creative director/art director Hans Hansen, group creative director/copywriter Eric Sorenson, creative director Mike Gibbs, art director Daniel Burke, copywriter Roberto Lastra, with fashion photographer and director Ellen von Unwerth.
Artists were represented by Philippe Brutus at Art + Commerce, executive producer David Lyons and producer Rebecca Donaghe at Moo Studios, Moo Management
You crossed the line on the nun ad! Totally disrespectful of a group of holy people that do a lot of good for society. You assholes promote the body that does not last. Nuns promote the soul that will last FOREVER. Where will your souls end up???????????
equinox,
I am writing this letter regarding your current advertising campaign involving nuns, known as happily ever. It is in poor taste and disrespectful to catholics and nuns in particular. There are 80 million catholics in America 25% of the population. 76% of the country is Christian, in addition there are many good people of other religions who will also be offended by this. It is obvious you sought a reaction with this ad. Well you have gotten it, but it will be much more negative then it is positive. It will cost you memberships.this is something your company will regret signing on to. when you advertise promote your product without insulting or offending current and future members.
Nuns take a vow of chastity and abstain from sex. To portray them in the situation you did, is not only inaccurate,and false, it is cheap. Hopefully you will hear from many other like myself, and remember for everyone who writes, there are a lot more who don’t, but they will long remember the name equinox fitness, and avoid doing business with them. I’m sure you will also be hearing from catholic and christian groups who will be speaking out as they should.
You are real cowards, taking a cheap shot at catholics. You would have never done this to blacks, women, gays or any other hands off groups. Would you consider doing this to Muslim religious representatives, who might come down there and be more hostile than letter writers. No you wouldn’t you lack the courage, you’re only risky to a point. Religion is sacred and should be respected. If you don’t practice it or believe in it, that’s fine, that’s your right, but do not mock or disrespect those who do.
those who created this garbage,advertising agency fallon and fashion photographer ellen von unwerth and those at equinox who decided to sign on to it are despicable,and should be ashamed of themselves.i wouldnt be at all suprised if your membership suddenly plummets.
I had the occasion to view your ad for Equinox Fitness entitled “Figure drawing” and while I am not a religious fanatic or associated with any religious orders, I find you ad to be incredibly offensive to women who have chosen Christian sisterhood for their life vocation. To portray these women in habits exclusively reserved for Christian nuns, gathering around a naked man painting his image, with another “Nun” observing from the background is an insult to those committed “sisters” of religious orders. For Rosemary Abendroth of Fallon to state “We’re not saying they’re nuns. They are all models who are dressed in a certain way. It isn’t meant to be a religious community.” and refer to those women as”…female models wearing black and white costumes” and to further state “…for those who jumped to the conclusion they were nuns, they should be corrected…” is at best, disingenuous, and at worst, a flagrant assault on the character, commitment, and reputation of these fine women who have chosen to forsake the trappings of our society and commit to a life of celibacy and service to God and his people.
You at Fallon should be ashamed of yourselves for trivializing such a sensitive and respected vocation as sisterhood, and you at Equinox should be ashamed to be associated with such an ad. What is wrong with you folks at Equinox that you didn’t question the character and suitability of this ad before it went to print. Are you that stupid, or just that arrogant?
There seems to be a lot of talk about “trivialising” or “offending” a certain group of people with this ad, but there has yet to be any discussion of the hypocrisy of this; Christians, whether they’ve taken “holy orders” or not, regularly offend people like me with their insistence upon cramming their particular fairy story (and let’s be honest, that’s what organized religion really amounts to) into legislation that affects me and mine, subjecting me to scorn and hatred in the media and elsewhere–they can dish it out, but they can’t take it? It’s an ad, people, for a gym. Gyms are about the body. Nuns are just people doing what they perceive as good work, and very often they do. Why does ANY group get to claim exemption from the world of advertising because of some masochistic vows they’ve taken about celibacy? Just because they think their God will like them better if they don’t have sex, we’re all supposed to tread on eggshells about them? Please. Let’s keep our medieval throwback ethos to ourselves, shall we?
I see nothing wrong with these ads, people need to get over themselves. If you don’t like it… don’t look at it. I see it as very effective advertising, which is exactly why it was done!
What Happend to the Regional of Miami, Lynet Ramos? She was amazing and brought a great level of energy to the club of Coral Gables! Since her departure the gym has been nothing but BLAHHHHHH!
Note to all who wrote in about being offended. I am a male figure model and have posed nude for art classes for many years. I have posed totally nude at six Catholic colleges and universities, both east and west coasts, among numerous schools. Three of these colleges have had nuns present. I’m usually told that I am the only male model they have had for a long time, if ever. Before long (once word gets out), the nuns find a reason to come into the room and get a good look at me. One of them would come in at break time and stand there talking with me with me still nude.
Nuns are human, they are female and some of them like to have a look at me. I don’t think badly of them for looking, it’s not bad.
Ease up on the “disrespect” and “offensive” talk if you don’t know about it. I do know and I let them sneak a peek whenever they want.
I am Catholic and yes when I saw the nun photo, I was slightly offended, however, my faith is not defined by what is depicted in your scene. The human body is a work of art and we are all created in God’s image- and honestly, if one is truley offended then we don’t have to look at it…our choice right?