Anytime Fitness is tackling gymtimidation with a new advertising campaign and in-club initiative, designed for people who have been “searching, not starting.”

The advertising campaign – Stop Searching. Start Anytime – is inspired by the questions thousands of people type into Google, such as 'am I too unfit for the gym?' 'What should I wear?' 'Will everyone stare at me?' Anytime Fitness worked with a partner agency to conduct in-depth analysis of the top 100 search terms used by people considering joining a gym, which provided valuable insights into the real worries, questions and barriers potential members face. This data-led approach will continue to inform all future planning and communications.

In response to these insights, Anytime Fitness has used inclusive images to reassure people that they are not alone in experiencing these common fears. Running this month across digital, social and in-club channels, Stop Searching. Start Anytime is supported by hero stills, 30-second films and out-of-home executions that celebrate everyday gymgoers as the heroes of their own story.

Tackling gymtimidation is more than just an advertising campaign, Anytime Fitness is embedding inclusivity as part of an ongoing strategy. Small, coach-led sessions are being introduced – The Search Party – which teach the basics, allow participants to ask anything and reassure them that they’re not alone in how they feel.

All clubs are introducing a Suggestion Search Box to invite members to submit questions to be answered directly by coaches, so they can ask any question privately and anonymously.

“We know how intimidating that first step into a gym can feel and how often people try to research their way to confidence before they walk through the door,” Katy Cockerill, director of marketing at Anytime Fitness UK and Ireland told HCM. “This campaign is about meeting people where they already are: online, full of doubt, asking questions they don’t want anyone to hear. We want to show them that those fears are completely normal. You don’t need to be ready to start. You just need to start.

"Rather than amplifying the negative emotions often associated with gymtimidation, we deliberately chose to reframe the conversation – our messaging focuses on reassurance, positivity, and shared experience. We saw this as an opportunity to be genuinely relevant, addressing concerns head-on with clarity, empathy, and reassurance.

"Looking ahead, this approach will continue to evolve through more community-led initiatives, inclusive communications, and experiences that reinforce confidence and belonging at every stage of a member’s journey." 

Cockerill says early feedback has been extremely encouraging: "Across our network, clubs are celebrating the arrival of new members and reporting positive engagement with the campaign. We are also seeing strong interest from those who are curious to learn more about Anytime Fitness, which we are supporting through in-club events which is very much dependent on our incredible staff.

"These early signals reinforce that our message is resonating and that people are responding positively to a more welcoming, confidence-building approach to fitness."