Ad Campaign – Reverse Engineered

Introduction

This week’s reverse engineer post is all about ad campaigns and implementing different design elements. I wanted to pull an original ad campaign from a company whose campaigns are fun and whose products I personally align with, Gymshark.

Original Design

While doing a Google image search for a Gymshark, I came across this specific one via this Adweek article. I enjoy the great photography element, but more so the comedy between the captured model pose and the ad’s tagline.

Original Ad Analysis

Design Element: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity

Let’s break down the 4 sub-elements one by one.

1. Contrast: We have the obvious contrast between the dark background colors and the bright green colors of the model’s shirt, making the branded item stand out. Additionally, we have a contrast between the white font for the typography and the dark background.
2. Repetition: The font color is repeated in both text blocks as well as the actual Gymshark logo on the model’s shirt. Both font styles are sans serif.
3. Alignment: It is very evident that the top text block is centered. While the website link at first glance appears to be centered as well, it is not completely aligned with the center of the top text block, which leads me to believe that it is actually left aligned instead, between the arm and the edge of the image.
4. Proximity: In order for the text to be easily readable, the white font was placed on the dark background. The top text block aligns with the model’s shoulder and the web link is placed with a literal arms-length below the top text to create separation between the two.

Design Element: Color

As mentioned above, we have great contrast between the font color for both text blocks as well as the dark background color. Additionally, there is a stark contrast between the strong colors of the model’s skin tone and the bright green colors of her branded shirt.

Design Element: Typography

While I do not have the exact name of the fonts used in the original ad, I can tell that both are from the sans serif family. Both fonts could possibly even be from the same type family. While there is plenty of space between each letter in the tagline, the web link appear to be compressed with little space between each letter and in all caps.

New Ad Analysis

Here is my new ad design. I found a free image on Unsplash of a man working out while making a face lifting weights. While his shirt is not green, it is black, and the background is green carpet instead. In order to better match the original ad, I removed text from the weight plate and included a Gymshark logo in the same corner of the model’s shirt as can be seen in the original ad.

Design Element: Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity

1. Contrast: To match the original ad as much as possible, I tried to find an image with similar colors and styles. We have great contrast between the many black elements and the green background floor carpet. We also have a strong contrast between the white text and the black shirt.
2. Repetition: The font styles are replicated to match the original utilizing 2 different font styles, both being sans serif. Just like we saw in the original ad, the color of the text is repeated in the Gymshark logo on the shirt.
3. Alignment: I centered the tagline, which I changed just a bit but tried to keep in line with the comedic style of the original ad. Letter spacing was matched to the original design as well.
4. Proximity: I decided not to place the text blocks outside the model and on the background only. Instead, I opted to place them both in the left bottom corner, on the black shirt of the model, to ensure for best contrast and visibility.

Design Element: Color

As previously mentioned, I tried to keep all main colors the same: green, black, and white. I wanted the text blocks to stand out on the black shirt along with the Gymshark logo. The fact that the gym carpet was green, very similar to the shirt in the original ad was an added bonus so that I did not have to change the color to match in Photoshop.

Design Element: Typography

The fonts I used to match the original design as closely as possible were from the Bebas family, both sans serif. I kept the web link in all caps and placed each letter tightly next to each other. The font size of the tagline text is also matched in height and width to the original ad. However, while the original has more text on the 2nd line, the wording I came up with had to be in reverse, with the longer line being on the top instead.

Conclusion

Overall, I’m a big fan of the Gymshark ad campaign, this original ad as well as all the other designs from this campaign. It’s funny, simple, catchy, and memorable. I believe it was a great design all around. I do believe that I managed to come up with a great alternative to match the overall aesthetics and design elements of the original ad.