Between the holiday parties, the cookies that somehow refill themselves, the third round of eggnog you absolutely did not need, and the collective agreement to start being “good again” in January, this is the moment when indulgence peaks and resolve quietly starts forming. Right on cue, Crunch Fitness is crashing the holiday hangover with “Crunch Feel More,” a new brand campaign that swaps guilt for good vibes and turns the gym into something closer to a celebration than a punishment.
The new creative, created by AOR Familiar Creatures, is designed to resonate with Crunch’s Young, Strong, and Social audience, emphasizing that the brand’s value goes beyond physical results. It is about how people feel when they walk out the door. More energized. More confident. More connected. That sense of belonging is central to Crunch’s long-standing No Judgments ethos, which the brand positions as an antidote to the pressure-heavy fitness culture elsewhere.
Directed by music video icon Hype Williams and soundtracked by Montell Jordan’s This Is How We Do It, the campaign lands at the exact cultural intersection of overdoing it and getting ready to feel like yourself again.
Williams, whose visual language helped define the look of 1990s and early 2000s hip hop and R&B through work with Beyoncé, Missy Elliott, LL Cool J, and Busta Rhymes, brings that same cinematic energy here. The result feels less like a traditional fitness ad and more like a music video unfolding inside a gym, with members caught up in the moment rather than grinding through reps. Watch below:
“We wanted to leverage the many fitness and wellness offerings Crunch has, how that makes you feel as a gym-goer, and the overall vibe of the brand,” said Justin Bajan, Co-Founder of Familiar Creatures. “This concept emerged around two gym-goers who feel like they’re in a music video. We were fortunate to collaborate with Hype to lean into the nostalgia of the ultimate 90s anthem while portraying the future of gym offerings.”
The campaign marks the latest evolution of Crunch’s “Feel Good Not Bad” platform, which launched in 2023, and frames the gym not just as a place to work out, but as a release valve for modern life. Stress, burnout, and isolation are baked into the moment. Crunch’s answer is movement, music, and community, delivered with a heavy dose of nostalgia and spectacle.
“In an increasingly stressful world, our younger members are turning to positive experiences, including the comfort and nostalgia of the 90s and early 2000s,” noted Chad Waetzig, Chief Marketing Officer at Crunch Fitness. “We asked ourselves, ‘Who better to authentically tap into nostalgia than Crunch?’ As the OG 90s gym, we’re known for being fun, irreverent, quirky, offbeat, and motivating for more than 35 years. The iconic song, ‘This Is How We Do It,’ perfectly encapsulates the essence of Crunch.”
The spots also spotlight Crunch 3.0, the company’s new gym design concept that upgrades the traditional fitness floor with elevated amenities. Group fitness studios, Olympic lifting platforms, and Relax and Recover services all make appearances, reinforcing the idea that serious fitness and fun do not have to be mutually exclusive.
“Gyms have become modern social hubs,” noted Chequan Lewis, President of Crunch Fitness. “They’re today’s Friday night house party, where movement, music, and community collide. In this cultural moment, gyms must deliver an experience. And Crunch does this like no one else in our industry can.”
The commercial begins airing nationally today, December 26, positioning Crunch Fitness squarely at the intersection of movement, memory, and culture as the new year approaches. The work will roll out across broadcast, social, radio, billboards, merchandise, and in-gym placements.
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