New branding for Orangetheory focuses on how its members feel

The world of fitness has changed hugely over the last decade, not least thanks to new technologies from the likes of Fitbit and Apple. But the tech giants aren't the only game in town. Other, more locally-based companies have also been revolutionising the way we keep our bodies and minds in trim.

Take Orangetheory Fitness, a boutique fitness studio franchise based in Florida, USA. In 2010, they created a new fitness phenomenon by combining community and coaching with science and technology. Since then, their network has expanded to over 1,500 studios, offering science-backed, technology-tracked group workouts to thousands of members in 24 countries around the world and throughout all 50 US states.

Recently, they decided they needed to reassert why their unique approach to fitness was the best option for most people. So they turned to DesignStudio, a branding and design agency based in London, New York and Sydney, to help focus their positioning, evolve their identity and energise their community.

Research

The Orangetheory workout was created to increase metabolic rate and burn more fat. But after spending time with dozens of members, coaches and employees, DesignStudio saw that the magic of Orangetheory didn't lie in raw statistics but in helping people of all fitness levels feel better for longer.

As a result, they refocused the brand's positioning. The new message is that Orangetheory is the antidote to today's expensive, exclusive and exhausting fitness landscape — a brand designed to energise everyone.

"Our research showed that members like the science, but they keep coming back because Orangetheory's coaches and community make them feel so energised," says DesignStudio's strategy director, Joe Hewitt. "Our job was to tap into that and tell a simple story that could cut through the clutter, shape the brand experience and inspire growth for franchisees."

Visual identity

The brand identity needed to represent this ambition. The team began with a system of cards connected by an embedded spark of energy. These cards allow the brand to present the essentials, guide members on their journey, and showcase insight and inspiration.

They amplified Orangetheory's iconic orange for a digital world, adding new secondary colours and an extended UI palette. They also created energised textures from the imagery of people working out, mirroring the rhythms of Orangetheory's paces: Base, Push, and All Out.

"The brand toolkit was built with utility in mind, designed to house bite-sized, digestible information, and delivering essential information where users needed it most," says creative director Eric Ng. "We took existing distinctive assets, such as the vibrancy of the orange and the unique forms of the symbol, and expanded them into comprehensive systems that elevated digital and physical touchpoints across the user journey."

To add dynamism, energy, and movement to the identity, the team built new motion principles inspired by the push they saw members give as they powered through their final reps. They also created a new brand voice that rejected the machismo tones of other fitness brands and reflected how Orangetheory's coaches and members hype each other up.

The collaboration with DesignStudio brings to life Orangetheory's mission with dynamic animated textures, an energised palette, and a motion-driven brand system inspired by the rhythms of Orangetheory's workouts. As the brand continues to innovate, this new brand identity positions the company for its next chapter of growth and community connection.

As executive creative director Eric Ng puts it, "In a fitness market that feels crowded, overwhelming, and confusing, Orangetheory is the beacon that people need. It is a brand that doesn't motivate through fear or deficit but instead guides and empowers members through a journey of self-discovery."