As Pilates surged into pop culture over the past few years, it picked up baggage. The “Pink Pilates Princess” aesthetic. TikTok debates about what a “Pilates body” should look like. Luxury athleisure sets and coded language about who belongs on a reformer.
Club Pilates just cut through it.
Their first national brand campaign—created with Los Angeles-based, women-owned agency Zambezi—addresses the aesthetics-over-authenticity trap directly. “Every Body Club Pilates” positions the century-old practice as it was originally intended: accessible, healing, and for every body that walks through the door.
The integrated campaign was launched across broadcast, connected TV, and social media, with digital, audio, and out-of-home elements to follow. Produced by FIN Studios and directed by Travis Hanour, it features an actual Club Pilates Master Instructor, Larissa Mems, and frames the entire conversation as a back-and-forth challenge: your body… their body… his body… hers too.
Nobody gets left out.
The cultural moment
Pilates hit an inflection point. What Joseph Pilates developed in the 1920s as rehabilitation morphed into something else as TikTok amplified the “Pilates girl” aesthetic—tying the practice to a specific body type, class status, and level of polish.
A viral debate earlier this year connected Pilates to political conservatism and body aesthetics, generating over 5 million views and sparking conversation about who Pilates is actually for. The discourse revealed something uncomfortable: the practice had become associated with exclusivity and a narrow definition of wellness focused on appearance over strength.
Club Pilates—1,200 locations globally since 2007—watched this unfold and recognized the disconnect.
The campaign response
“Since 2007, we’ve opened our doors to all bodies, all ages, and all abilities—whether you’re just starting out in Pilates, new to movement or simply seeking strength,” said Amanda Croce, Chief Marketing Officer at Club Pilates. “We believe the practice isn’t about looking a certain way—it’s about feeling better, moving better, and belonging.”
Zambezi’s creative approach flips the script on typical fitness advertising. Instead of aspirational bodies performing perfect movements, the campaign features a conversational exchange between a narrator and a challenger who questions whether Pilates really is for everybody. The narrator refuses to back down: yes, your body. Yes, their body. Yes, his and hers too.
Director Travis Hanour—who recently directed Zambezi’s NFL Flag Football work—creates intimate framing that feels more like a genuine conversation than a pitch. Still photography by Steven Counts reinforces the diversity of bodies, ages, and abilities the brand serves.
“With ‘Every Body Club Pilates,’ we set out to shift the perception of Pilates from something ethereal and exclusive to something energetic, grounded, and genuinely fun,” said Gavin Lester, Chief Creative Officer at Zambezi. “The goal was to democratize the experience and make it feel accessible to anyone, and every part of the campaign reflects that inclusive spirit. We wanted people to see themselves in it and feel like, ‘This is for me.'”
Why it works
The campaign marks the first collaboration between Club Pilates and Zambezi, following the formation of their newly established partnership. FIN Studios produced, with Exverus by Brainlabs handling media.
As Pilates’ popularity surges—the global studio market is expected to grow from $158 billion in 2023 to over $420 billion by 2032—Club Pilates needs to expand beyond the narrow demographic the practice has become associated with. The work positions accessibility as the actual differentiator.
The positioning
Club Pilates’ “Pilates is for everyBODY” tagline isn’t new. But stating it through a national campaign at this cultural moment carries a different weight.
The brand followed up with a Dove partnership for the #EveryBodyPilates initiative in May, offering free classes and reinforcing that movement should celebrate what bodies can do rather than how they look.
It positions Club Pilates—1,200 locations at an accessible price point—as the counter to boutique studios where classes run $30-40 and the visual culture skews toward a specific demographic. In a fitness landscape where practices increasingly signal class and aesthetics, that’s more than a tagline.
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