Learn to move the tough way

With the arrival of smart technologies, alternative formats and new entrants, Virgin Active needed to reinvigorate the gym experience to remain ahead. We helped them prototype and launch two innovative products, marking a step change in group exercise.

After developing a series of innovative new products based on customer needs, Wolff Olins helped Virgin Active launch The Grid. It’s a typically Virgin take on trends in movement training, designed to get people moving fast and working as a team. By fixing the activity to a grid of 2mx2m on the gym floor, large groups can take part, burning up to 600 calories in 30 minutes.

Through a series of workshops, interviews and research Wolff Olins created a singular proposition – ‘learn to move the tough way’. It focused the customer journey and inspired a series of neat interventions. From the introduction of the Tough Minute (a killer 60 seconds of activity to raise the heart rate) through to digital sign-in screens and environmental takeovers, The Grid was hard to miss. Launched in 29 Virgin Active health clubs over the first few months of 2015, it made an impact on members and newcomers alike.