On September 14-15, the U.K.-based activewear brand Gymshark hosted its largest event to date, Lift: NYC, drawing in 7,500 fitness enthusiasts and athletes from around the world. The event featured lifting competitions, strength challenges, workouts and opportunities to meet fitness influencers, all aimed at fostering community and promoting Gymshark’s brand.
American expansion is a crucial part of the brand’s growth strategy. The U.S. accounts for around 50% of its total revenue, while the U.K. accounts for 20%. To solidify its U.S. presence, Gymshark launched its first American campaign in 2022 and opened an office in Denver shortly after. In June this year, Gymshark opened its U.S. headquarters in downtown Manhattan.
Overall, Gymshark posted revenue of £556 million for the year ending July 2023, marking a 15% increase from the previous year, driven by a 13.1% rise in orders and a 12.5% growth in international sales.
The Lift: NYC event allowed the digitally native brand to physically connect with its U.S. community. “The first-ever real Gymshark event was in Manhattan, and our community showed up for us in a huge way with lines around the block. After some incredible success in L.A. and Miami, it was time we brought it home to NYC with our biggest event in the history of the brand,” said Noel Mack, Gymshark chief brand officer.
The scale of Lift: NYC exceeded expectations, with long queues snaking around the block from early Saturday morning. “It was the greatest event in Gymshark’s history, in terms of attendance, sales and just all-around vibes,” said Mack. According to Mack, people including lifters, hybrid athletes, and training enthusiasts, flew in from around the world.
Highlights included one community member deadlifting 900 pounds on Saturday, while powerlifting legend Jamal Browner pulled over 1,000 pounds on Sunday. The company has been pushing more into the gym scene. Earlier this month, Chris Bumstead, five-time Classic Physique Mr. Olympia and renowned bodybuilder, renewed his partnership in the company and took a part ownership stake.
“There aren’t a ton of opportunities to look, feel, hear and smell Gymshark,” said Mack. “[By hosting an event] they get to look in the whites of our eyes as a business and see what we truly stand for. It also brings people together.”
Lift: NYC featured partnerships through on-site booths with brands including Liquid Death and Sour Strips.
Fifty-seven percent of the attendees were women. “The growth of Gymshark Women has been transformative for our brand,” said Mack.
For those who could not attend the event, Gymshark made the event shoppable online, reporting $600,000 in sales. “We had photographers and retouchers on-site, and when athletes arrived for the day, we captured their look and made it available on our website,” said Mack.
Social media further extended the event’s visibility, including posts from attending athletes and fans. This includes one post from Gymshark athlete Analis Cruz which got 158,000 likes. “The social media team brought the day’s activities to life across our platforms. We created a lot of upper-funnel buzz, and when people hit the website, that excitement and event feel was reflected there, too,” said Mack.
Gymshark debuted its premium athleisure line, Everywear, earlier this year, launching exclusively with department store Selfridges before widely rolling it out. The brand will soon open a 12-month pop-up store in New York and open a store in Dubai’s Dubai Mall, which attracts over 54 million shoppers annually.
Reflecting on Gymshark’s growth, Mack emphasized the impact of experiential marketing. “Whether it’s Lift events, pop-up stores or run clubs, a key pillar of Gymshark’s brand has always been IRL connections with our consumers. This will always be a huge part of what we do.”
