Responses by Mrs&Mr
Background: The purpose of this campaign was to bring the Soul back to SoulCycle to help it reclaim its cultural leadership in an effort to re-engage its base, appeal to new riders and inspire its instructor community.
Reasoning: We were looking for a simple human truth that is unique to SoulCycle, which is that riders come to SoulCycle for the holy trinity of mind, body and soul. It was a truth that we kept hearing from the community. These riders are not only looking for a great cardio workout, but also to experience moments of personal transformation and mental wellbeing. This truth informed the new visual direction, in addition to the brand line that reflects the promise SoulCycle uniquely delivers: Mind Altering Fitness.
Challenges: SoulCycle is a tactile, human brand. Physically being away from our team and removed from our clients was unquestionably challenging, especially due to the intricate nature of the creative and artwork.
Favorite details: As opposed to engaging an external artist, all the branding, visual elements and artwork was created in-house by Mrs&Mr. To reflect the human, analog truth of the brand experience, everything we created was handmade, using vintage printers and a variety of collage techniques.
Specific demands: There is no doubt that getting to work with Caroline DeLasa, SoulCycle’s executive creative director, made the project easier. She’s an amazing partner and friend, and she has been the creative director at SoulCycle since day one. She knows the brand inside out and trusted us to stay true to SoulCycle’s timeless DNA, while pushing it forward in culture, conceptually and visually.
Anything new: When it comes to the one-minute brand video, we worked with improv group Freestyle Love Supreme. The beat and the lyrics were developed freestyle, in real time in their studio, based on our concept of Mind Altering Fitness and the desire to express the mental shifts the riders were telling us about. This immediate, instinctive approach to writing and recording was eye-opening, since we typically pre-plan and script everything with rounds of review. Their talent and ability to express an idea so quickly was astonishing. And it was a treat to overlay our visuals against the lyrics and soundtrack they created.