One of GYMBOX's brand propositions – 'Sweat is our therapy' - set off our thinking. Yes, gyms are all about sweat and sweating, but not all sweat is equal – some is more powerful than others. We delved deep into the subject and discovered that there is sweat secreted by Apocrine sweat glands, which is oily sweat containing sebum, proteins, lipids and steroids, which smell bad. And there is sweat secreted by Eccrine sweat glands that is watery sweat to cool off the body and help control body temperature. Within the latter, we discovered the existence of a little known chemical compound, Androstenone (C19H28O) which is the steroid-like pheromone found in human fresh sweat that acts as an aphrodisiac. So we thought that a gym class created to produce Androstenone and make someone sexually irresistible would certainly pique a lot of interest and create talkability. Pheromone Improvement Training(P.I.T) was born...

Given the novelty of P.I.T., we produced video content that brought the class to life as well as the potential effectiveness. Dermatologist Anne-Marie Lategan provided 'the science' and was featured in the video, along with GYMBOX fitness instructor Diana Booty to provide insight into the class, why and how it has been created.

We then announced P.I.T. as a news story with the video and additional imagery and rode our own tsunami of interest to arrange for journalists, media and influencers to attend a P.I.T. class and then describe and review their own experiences: both of the class and what happened after.

P.I.T was trialled and tested by multiple national publications including Harry Wallop for The Times - resulting in a double page spread featured both in print and online - The Independent, who filmed their own video feature, and the Mail on Sunday.

P.I.T produced reactions like: "After the class, I was definitely getting looks from men. My colleague felt a new energy when he came into close proximity" (The Independent); "I rush home after the class and thrust my sweat-infused chest at my wife, like a hunter-gatherer dragging back a woolly mammoth. Smell me, I insist, I am meant to be irresistible" (The Times); A new class choreographed by the filth mongers at GYMBOX, which promises to create the right kind of sweat to seduce. Gruesome" (The Evening Standard); "Bad body odour is regularly cited as one of the biggest turn-offs but the right kind of sweat can help you find love -that's the theory behind GYMBOX's new fitness class, P.I.T." (Mail Online); "GYMBOX insists this class isn't a joke – though it would definitely count as a successful stunt if it were" (VICE).

There was a 58% spike in member sign ups to GYMBOX gyms between the launch date of P.I.T. and Valentine's Day, compared to the previous year. As a result of interest in P.I.T, the new Farringdon GYMBOX site reported 148 new members in that period - a clear case that Androstenone was a real turn on for new members.

With an average membership at £980 pa (approximately £80 pm) the new Farringdon sign ups alone equate to a return of £140,000.

The campaign achieved a reach of 800,000,000 and 1,500 online article shares, helping GYMBOX to the top of the gym awareness charts.