Rhetorical Analysis: Blink Fitness Body Positive Advertisement

Introduction

Blink Fitness Gym franchise made history in January 2016 when it launched the "Every Body Happy" advertisement in the "Shape and Fitness" magazine, New York. The advertisement appeared in various magazines and even YouTube videos, and it became famous for its all-inclusive body types vibe. In most fitness advertisements, usually negative advertising is employed there is a before and after in fitness and gym routines where an unfit or fat person goes to the gym until they get the "correct" body image. Blink Fitness' tactics in appealing to people's sense of acceptance, emotional attachment to fitness and simple logic in realizing that we have different but still beautiful bodies made the advertisement a sensational success across America.

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Looking at the picture and YouTube videos of the "Every Body Happy" advertisement campaign, it is clear that the most common mantra "No Pain, No Gain" pales in comparison. It featured members of the gym of different races and bodies. Indeed in the original picture, there were various body types of both the male and female gender. More than that everybody was happy. The reason why the advertisement captures the eye is that one instantly realizes that everybody is wearing a bright and hopeful smile. Be it the woman stretching her legs up from the ground or the bearish gentleman crossing arms over his chest. A picture can truly carry many messages as this picture best describes. No wonder they say that a picture is worth a thousand words.

The purpose of the advertisement is to show people that Blink Fitness Gym provides a unique kind of experience for all people and not fitness enthusiasts alone. In Bliss Gym there are a variety of people, and they are all happy in their ways, they are proud of their bodies, and they own it. They are not afraid of being looked down upon for their real images. Blink Fitness represents realness; showing their mantra "Mood Above Muscle." Compared to other fitness and health advertisements which show people working out with large muscles and toned bodies, Blink Fitness shows us people who can be comfortable in an office setting or at a backyard party grilling barbeque. Blink Fitness is concerned about making people enjoy working out and not necessarily looking at the physical specimen of a sculpted bodybuilder. Feeling good is much more important than looking good is the main lesson that the advertisement wants people to understand. It may be a classic market gimmick, appealing to people's sense of wellbeing and feeling at home but it is one that succeeds well. A body that is active and happy in it and enjoying the moment translates to a healthy body.

The Blink Fitness Gym "Every Body Happy" advertisement is posted on various fitness sites on the internet. Nowadays it is easier for a person to pick the nearest gym to their place of residence by doing a Google search than say looking for local pages or walking around the neighborhood looking for one. Blink Fitness gyms numbering upwards of 50 are located in various cities and states such as New York, New Jersey, California, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts. Hence, the fitness company is well established, and its locations are as varied as the members shown on the promotional poster. The idea behind the poster was inspired by the results of a January online survey that showed that Americans (82%) value is working out to feel good rather than look good.

Regarding appealing to people's feelings (pathos) the advertisement shows people who are happy and content with their body types. Also the motto of the advertisement "Mood Above Muscle" puts feelings on top of physique (Berger, 2). What Blink Fitness is telling people is that it is okay for anybody to walk into any one of their gyms and get into a fitness regimen. In Blink Fitness there is no body-shaming the only celebration of different body types and sizes; essentially this is what the advertisers want people to understand about Blink Fitness. The fitness company claims to have satisfied employees, which cannot be true because every establishment must have people being favored while others are denied opportunities (Berger, 11).

Regarding appealing to ethos (ethical sense), Blink Fitness fails to adequately represent the actual situations on the floors of the gyms. It is easy to imagine people feeling at home in a gym and enjoying the experience so much that it shows on their faces. Happiness may be a common feeling among the gym members but is hard to believe the employees feel the same. Studies prove that that 90% of Americans identify the top three benefits of going to the gym as non-physical (Berger, 20 ). Also, studies show that 71% of Americans did not feel represented in fitness adverts because they did not feature their body types. These are facts which Blink Fitness put to good use in convincing people to join their gyms.

Conclusion

Blink's body positive advertisement "Every Body Happy" uses ethos and logos to compel their readers and viewers to join their gym. The advertisement uses a new approach to get the readers to join- by creating a "feel at home" atmosphere. The gym combines the health benefits of exercise with their diverse environment to create a welcoming gym that is meant for everyone. Rhetoric establishes a more secure relationship with the reader. Advertisements use this as a way to create a more relatable presence in the reader's mind.

Works Cited

Berger, Karen A. "Local YWCA Struggles with Future of Its Fitness Center and Other Matters." Business Case Journal24.2 (2017).