Branding Photography: How This Gym Transformed Their Visual Identity
March 6, 2025
Understanding The Brand & Client
Are you a gym goer in Thanet? Well you have to check out Evolve: it’s another level. I was so stoked to do some branding photography for this local business in Margate.
Evolve Group Training is dedicated to providing a top-notch fitness experience for its members, whether you’re a newbie or seasoned Crossfit athlete. With world-class coaches, a supportive community, and a customer-focused approach, they ensure that every individual achieves their fitness goals. What’s also great is that there’s no “open gym” where people do their own thing, it’s all centred on classes.
Basically, their variety of classes look like this:
- Box: High-intensity boxing workouts.
- Capacity: Endurance-focused training sessions.
- Large Group Personal Training: Personalized coaching in a group setting.
- Lift: Strength training programs.
- Ride: Indoor cycling classes.
- Showdown: Competitive fitness challenges.
- Small Group Personal Training: Intimate coaching sessions.
- Zen: Mindfulness and flexibility exercises.
Their commitment to a holistic fitness approach is evident by the fact there is such an array of classes and that there is such a supportive community they’ve cultivated.
The Need for Consistent Branding
In the digital age, visual content plays a pivotal role in brand perception. For fitness centers like Evolve, showcasing the energy of their classes, the expertise of their coaches, and the camaraderie among members is essential. Regularly updated photographs ensure that potential and current members connect with the brand’s evolving story (excuse the pun).
Tom Keenan Photography, aside from luxury wedding photography in Kent, strives to provide personal branding photography that captures the essence of a business, often reflecting the individuals behind it. Authentic and timeless photographs showcase who you are, what you do, and why you do it, making them essential for capturing attention and conveying a message instantly. Basically, the photographs HAD to look awesome, and I’m so happy with the results.
The Decision for Quarterly Branding Shoots
Evolve Group Training opted for twice yearly branding photoshoots to keep their visual content fresh and aligned with their dynamic offerings. This approach offers several advantages:
- Up to date Head Shots: Using the same editing presets, lighting and location of previous shots.
- Showcasing New Offerings: Highlighting new classes, equipment, or events.
- Maintaining Engagement: Providing fresh content to keep their social media alive
- Reflecting Growth: Documenting the gym’s evolution and milestones.
Seasonal brand images can help show the audience what’s new with the business, keep the brand relevant and relatable, make content and platforms more engaging, and open up new opportunities, all contributing to business growth.
Planning the Photoshoots
Effective planning is crucial for successful branding photoshoots. The process involved:
- Discovery Call: Discussing goals, themes, and key messages for each session.
- Pre-Shoot Consultation: Planning locations, outfits, and props to ensure brand alignment.
- Shot List Creation: Identifying essential shots, including classes, coach interactions, and facility highlights.
- Scheduling: Coordinating shoot times to minimize disruption to gym operations.
Tom Keenan Photography offers a comprehensive approach, including complimentary discovery calls and pre-shoot advice, to ensure the photos align with the brand’s identity. I’m not the kind of photographer to come in and blag it, I appreciate your time is valuable and I always have a plan.
Benefits of Quarterly Branding Photoshoots
The decision to invest in regular branding photography yielded several benefits:
1. Enhanced Visual Consistency
Regular photoshoots ensured that all visual content across platforms was cohesive, reinforcing brand identity. Imagine having photographs of members that are no longer part of the gym? That would look dated.
2. Increased Member Engagement
Fresh and relevant visuals resonated with the audience, leading to higher engagement rates on social media and the website. It’s cool when the members see themselves on social media, building their sense of belonging.
3. Improved Marketing Flexibility
A library of diverse images allowed for agile marketing, enabling timely promotions and campaigns. I always provide colour & monochrome versions of every image to give you variety to choose from. Evolve’s website developers also requested 3 different sizes of files (large, medium & web size).
4. Strengthened Brand Authenticity
Authentic images of real members and coaches fostered trust and relatability among the audience. Stock images are not the one when it comes to a seasoned gym that’s all about originality.
Branding photography helps establish a strong and consistent visual identity that resonates with ideal clients, showcasing products or services in a way that captures attention, evokes emotions, and builds trust.
Conclusion
Evolve Group Training’s decision to invest in regular branding photography was a game-changer for their marketing. By consistently updating their visual identity, they strengthened their brand, engaged their audience, and positioned themselves as a premium fitness provider. For any business looking to elevate its brand, high-quality, strategic photography is an essential investment. Get in touch today!
