Fitness Brand Les Mills Launches Spaghetti Sideline to Fuel Killer New Workout
To celebrate the launch of new workout LES MILLS FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH, the Kiwi fitness firm teams up with nice&frank to launch ‘Spaghetti Legs’ pasta – a nod to the lower body benefits of FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH, which research shows can help participants boost their squat strength (by 20%) and jump height (by 19%) in just eight weeks.
On January 31st at 4pm (EST), FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH co-creator Ben Main hosted a live 'Spaghetti Legs' celebration on the Les Mills Instagram channel, leading a lower body workout based on moves from the new class. The free event was open to all and participants also had the chance to win packs of the special edition spaghetti – only available while stocks last.
“We can’t wait to serve our squad a double helping of Spaghetti Legs through the IG Live event – expect a killer workout and the chance to win pasta that hits different,” says Ben. “We’re all about making fitness more joyful and this is a fun way to bring people together, build community, and celebrate a food that’s been scientifically proven to boost happiness.
“But don’t be fooled by the smiles, FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH is a serious workout. We’ve brought together the best of heavy compound lifting and functional strength training to deliver a bang-on-trend workout that delivers strength and athleticism to set you up for any challenge.”
"Spaghetti Legs is a great example of our creative philosophy at nice&frank: actions over ads. Instead of another commercial about fitness that nobody needs or wants, we made a ridiculously unexpected product and then designed it within an inch of its noodley-life." said Laura Petruccelli, co-founder and chief creative officer, nice&frank.
"Pasta makes people happy, and so do Les Mills workouts. The idea was seriously silly and simple. But we know it’ll grab the attention of audiences outside of the fitness world by leaning into humour. That’s an ownable and untapped space in the fitness world, one that Les Mills can truly own." said Erica Stevens, associate creative director, nice&frank.
"This isn’t just another social stunt that goes nowhere and dies out the day after it gets posted. Actually making the ‘Les Mills Spaghetti Legs’ class accessible to everyone through Instagram Live turns what could’ve been a fleeting social moment into an enjoyable and long-lasting brand action." said Nicole LeLacheur, associate creative director, nice&frank.
Available via the LES MILLS+ streaming platform and about to launch in leading gyms around the world, FUNCTIONAL STRENGTH marks the latest in a series of new science-backed Les Mills workouts designed to meet gen z demand for highly motivating fitness experiences that bring results, strength and empowerment.
The team at nice&frank go deeper into the project and how the team brought it to life.
Q> From start to finish, how long did this project take?
nice&frank> A week ago, this idea didn't exist. As soon as we saw the pasta study being shared multiple times, we went straight to the client to connect the dots between the happiest food and the happiest workouts. They were ready to go, designing a whole new workout focused on the lower body called 'Les Mills Spaghetti Legs' just to fit the idea and the launch of the first fitness brand pasta. We even shot the whole campaign in a gym inside the basement of our creative's apartment building in New York. New Zealand and New York worked closely together to bring everything to life, working 24/7 until launch.
Q> What is Nice&Frank's proprietary innovation/creative process (explain Frankshop)?
nice&frank> The 'Choose Happy' creative platform originated from our nice&frank ‘Frankshop’ process. This workshop, characterized by radical honesty, invites key decision-makers of a brand for a no-phones, no-bullshit session focused on building a new creative platform for braver, more creative ideas. During this Frankshop, the Les Mills client (including the Mills family) decided to shift away from portraying fitness through the lens of punishment and toxicity, aiming to make working out more fun, playful, and, indeed – happy.
‘Spaghetti Legs’ isn't the first time the brand responded to a cultural moment to convey an important message about fitness. Last year, we launched "Choose Happy" during the season finale of Ted Lasso, a TV show known for reframing conversations about happiness and mental health. The commercial, filmed in New Zealand with Ted Lasso's Brett Goldstein and shot by Andreas Nilsson, humorously tackled typical fitness tropes seen in most marketing. Additionally, we introduced the Happiness Ambassador program, offering working visas for people to move, live, and work in New Zealand.
This year, Spaghetti Legs exemplifies making workouts more joyful. Leveraging a cultural moment, specifically the recently released pasta study, we responded by creating a custom workout and product to bring fitness into a whole new space. Showcasing fitness in unconventional places (design, fashion, and food in this case) attracts a new audience to the fitness realm, aligning with our client's goal of reaching new, younger, global audiences.
Q> Any anecdotes from the shoot, creation?
nice&frank> We partnered with two incredibly talented designers and photographers, Ben Gallegos and Michael Stone, both of whom are ex-Grand Army designers. Our goal was to give the look and feel of a real fitness pasta brand that felt worthy of gen z's eye for unique and arresting visuals.
We even created a custom ‘spaghetti legs’ typeface for the limited edition product.
Q> Challenges?
nice&frank> Not every fitness brand would let you talk about pasta, period. But in some ways, pasta is our secondary story. Happiness is the key. The point of the 'Choose Happy' creative platform means we show fitness in a new, playful, and joyful light – without losing touch with the hard work of a workout itself. That's why it was so important to us not only to launch the product but also the live IG workout. This will be the first of many unexpected ways the Les Mills brand will be inserting workouts in unexpected places.
